BY MOHAMMAD TARIQUE SALEEM
Akhilesh Yadav, the national president of the Samajwadi Party and former Chief Minister, said that discrimination, injustice, and oppression have reached their peak under the BJP government. He alleged that during the BJP government’s 10 years in power, atrocities against the PDA (Backward classes, Dalits, and minorities) community have intensified. He claimed that the government carried out large-scale fake encounters, and that 85% of those killed in these alleged fake encounters belonged to the PDA community. According to him, no one is receiving justice under the current government.
At a press conference held at the Samajwadi Party state headquarters in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav released a booklet containing data on alleged atrocities against the PDA community during the BJP government’s tenure. The booklet reportedly includes details of alleged fake encounters, bulldozer actions against PDA families, deaths in police custody, and the caste-wise breakdown of undertrial prisoners in Uttar Pradesh jails.
Akhilesh Yadav said that whenever the BJP government begins to weaken politically, it resorts to fake encounters and becomes more communal. He alleged that the government uses fake encounters to divert attention from corruption. Calling fake encounters the “ugliest form of injustice and oppression,” he accused the BJP of carrying out political conspiracies through such actions and targeting people on the basis of caste and religion, thereby harming social harmony and rejecting the principles of social justice.
He further stated that biased encounters are unconstitutional criminal acts and a sign of a failed government. According to him, the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh wants to intimidate the PDA community and deny them their rights under the guise of encounters. He alleged that an entire system of crime has been institutionalized around fake encounters, encouraging bribery and black money. He also described custodial deaths as another form of fake encounter and claimed that Uttar Pradesh ranks first in such incidents under BJP rule.
Akhilesh Yadav said history shows that governments which rely on encounters are eventually defeated by the people through democratic means. He asserted that the BJP government, which he accused of promoting fake encounters and oppression, would also face defeat in the future. He alleged that fake encounters have tarnished Uttar Pradesh’s image and are being used to create psychological fear among the public. He claimed they worsen law and order rather than improve it because they spread corruption within the police force.
He further alleged that some corrupt lawyers fabricate stories to justify such encounters and later blackmail officials and the government. Yadav also spoke about the psychological and social consequences for police personnel allegedly involved in fake encounters, saying many later face legal action, social humiliation, guilt, mental trauma, and even alcoholism. He argued that such practices not only destroy the lives of victims but also those of the officers involved and their families.
He added that fear of fake encounters discourages investment in the state and alleged that in several cases businessmen were extorted by police using threats of encounters. He further claimed that the BJP government uses fake encounters to satisfy its supporters while simultaneously encouraging a culture of violence and hatred. According to him, biased encounters erode public faith in the rule of law, which he described as a fundamental pillar of democracy.
Akhilesh Yadav said fake encounters pose a challenge to India’s culture, Constitution, and democratic values. He argued that Indian civilization has historically promoted harmony rather than violence, and that such practices reflect a dangerous “might is right” mentality, contrary to democratic ideals where “right is might.” He accused the BJP government of hiding data while carrying out discriminatory policies. Referring to incidents in Hathras, Ghazipur, and Hardoi, he alleged that the government failed to deliver justice in cases involving women from marginalized communities.
He claimed that women and girls are most unsafe under BJP rule and that Uttar Pradesh records the highest number of crimes against women in the country. Responding to a question, Akhilesh Yadav also criticized the economy, saying the BJP’s “double-engine government” had damaged the country’s economic condition. He said inflation is at its peak, fuel prices continue to rise, the dollar is strengthening, and the rupee is weakening. He remarked that as the dollar rises, everyday items like tea become more expensive.
During the event, advocate Gajendra Singh shared details of a human rights report regarding alleged fake encounters in Uttar Pradesh. Samajwadi Party leader Satya Yadav from Ghazipur spoke about alleged torture and mistreatment he faced in jail. Another party leader, Ramashankar Rajbhar, accused the BJP government of injustice against the Rajbhar community and blamed it for fake encounters involving Rajbhar youth. Virendra Kushwaha from Hardoi spoke about the murder of his sister Shilpi Kushwaha and alleged harassment of his family by influential people, demanding justice for his family.
