BY MOHAMMAD ZAHID AKHTAR
Samajwadi Party President and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the ruling party has failed both morally and administratively. Referring to the alleged theft of donations from the donation box at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Yadav remarked that while the BJP had risen to power riding the “Awadh Express,” its political return journey would be through the “Ayodhya Express.”
He said that the symbolic protest staged by Samajwadi Party Members of Parliament outside Parliament, carrying a donation box to highlight the alleged theft, had left BJP leaders visibly embarrassed. According to Yadav, the protest exposed what he described as the ruling party’s moral failure, forcing its members to avoid public attention.
Yadav claimed that the people of the country were deeply hurt by the alleged incident, asserting that while Indians are generally forgiving of political mistakes, they would never pardon what he termed the “great sin” of misappropriating money offered in the name of religion. He further alleged that those associated with the BJP had betrayed the ideals of Lord Ram, stating that the public would hold the party accountable in future elections.
Turning to education, the Samajwadi Party chief accused the BJP government of systematically weakening the education and examination system, thereby jeopardizing the future of students and young people. He alleged that the state government had closed more than 22,000 primary schools in Uttar Pradesh under the pretext of mergers and administrative restructuring, depriving children—particularly those from economically weaker sections—of access to quality education.
Yadav argued that the BJP government had neglected the basic infrastructure of government schools, pointing to reports of dilapidated buildings, leaking roofs, lack of electricity, and absence of essential facilities such as fans. He maintained that instead of strengthening educational institutions, the government had allowed them to deteriorate.
He further alleged that education and employment had never been priorities for the BJP, claiming that its policies had created widespread dissatisfaction among students and youth across the country. According to Yadav, young people are increasingly anxious about their future and would not forgive the government for what he described as its anti-education approach.
Yadav accused the BJP of promoting divisive politics instead of investing in schools, colleges, and universities. He alleged that rather than establishing new educational institutions, the government had weakened existing ones. Referring to Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, he claimed that the BJP sought to dismantle institutions built to promote higher education, asserting that history has never viewed those who destroy universities as benefactors of society.
