By Mohammad Tarique Saleem
Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has voiced strong concern over the safety of Indian journalists reportedly stranded in conflict-hit Israel, while also questioning the law-and-order situation in Uttar Pradesh following recent kidnapping incidents in his tweet on X.
In a post on social media, Yadav said the journalists had travelled to Israel alongside the Prime Minister as political reporters covering an official visit. However, as tensions escalated and the situation turned into an active conflict, he said those journalists now find themselves in a dangerous environment where they are effectively forced to work as war correspondents. According to him, this sudden shift has caused deep anxiety among their families and well-wishers back home.
He said many relatives of the journalists are worried and are questioning why those who were taken along for coverage of a diplomatic visit were not brought back safely when the situation worsened. Yadav suggested that the government has a moral responsibility toward the journalists who accompanied the delegation. Leaving them behind in the middle of a war-like situation, he said, has raised uncomfortable questions about accountability and duty toward members of the media.
The Samajwadi Party leader also drew attention to growing concerns about public safety within Uttar Pradesh. Referring to recent kidnapping incidents reported from Prayagraj and Gorakhpur, Yadav said such crimes have created fear and uncertainty among residents. According to him, people across the state are asking why criminals appear increasingly bold and why there seems to be little fear of the law.
He said incidents like these leave ordinary citizens wondering whether criminals feel protected or emboldened by weaknesses in the system. Yadav also questioned why swift and visible action often appears only after opposition leaders raise the issue publicly. For many people, he said, this raises concerns about whether authorities are responding proactively or only reacting when public pressure builds. Linking the two issues, Yadav stressed that the safety of citizens, whether they are journalists working abroad or families living in cities across Uttar Pradesh, should remain a top priority for any government.
He said people expect reassurance that their concerns will be heard and that those responsible for ensuring security will act promptly and decisively. For Yadav, both the uncertainty faced by journalists in Israel and the fear created by crimes in Uttar Pradesh highlight a larger expectation from the public: that those in power must remain accountable and responsive to the safety and concerns of every citizen.
