ARABIAN TIMES NEWS NETWORK
The Samajwadi Sikh Social Justice Yatra, which began on 6 April 2026 from Pilibhit district, concluded on 2 June 2026 at the Samajwadi Party’s state headquarters in Lucknow, marking the end of a nearly two-month outreach campaign across several districts of Uttar Pradesh, with a show of solidarity from the Sikh community and renewed political messaging from Samajwadi Party president and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
The yatra, which began in Pilibhit on April 6, culminated at the Samajwadi Party’s state headquarters, where hundreds of members of the Sikh community gathered to welcome Yadav. During the event, he was presented with a traditional Kirpan, Saropa, and a commemorative memento as a mark of respect. Community leaders also expressed confidence in his leadership and voiced their hope of seeing him return as Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister after the 2027 Assembly elections.
Addressing the gathering, Yadav praised the Sikh community for its legacy of courage, sacrifice, and social harmony. He said Sikhs have earned respect across the world through their contribution to agriculture, entrepreneurship, and public service, describing them as a community that has always stood firmly for justice and national unity.
The former Chief Minister used the occasion to sharpen his criticism of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of creating divisions in society and weakening democratic institutions. He argued that the values of love, compassion, and inclusiveness should remain at the centre of public life and linked these ideals to the Samajwadi Party’s PDA outreach. Much of Yadav’s speech focused on farmers’ issues.
Referring to the nationwide farmers’ protests, he said the concerns of cultivators continue to remain unresolved despite years of agitation. He alleged that farmers still face rising input costs, shortages of fertilisers, and the absence of a legally guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP). According to him, these challenges have made agriculture increasingly difficult, particularly for small and marginal farmers.
He promised that if voted to power, a Samajwadi Party government would prioritise farmers’ welfare through policies aimed at ensuring fair prices, better support systems, and stronger protection of agricultural land. He also assured the Sikh community that his party would work towards providing them greater political representation and safeguard their rights.
Throughout the programme, the atmosphere remained energetic as supporters raised slogans of “Sat Sri Akal” and “PDA Zindabad,” reflecting both community pride and political enthusiasm. The gathering repeatedly echoed with calls for social justice and democratic values, themes that remained central to the yatra.
According to the yatra’s coordinator and Samajwadi Party National Secretary Kuldeep Singh Bhullar, the campaign covered a wide stretch of Uttar Pradesh, passing through districts including Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Rampur, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Amroha, Hapur, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Sitapur, Hardoi, and Kanpur before concluding in Lucknow. The campaign also highlighted several demands concerning the Sikh community.
These included granting ownership rights to families occupying land for decades, rebuilding the historic Gyan Godri Sahib Gurdwara in Haridwar at its original site, establishing a Sikh Commission, improving Sikh representation in politics and administration, providing financial assistance to granthis, and incorporating the history of Sikh Gurus into school curricula. The event concluded with community leaders reiterating their commitment to democratic participation and social justice while expressing support for the Samajwadi Party’s broader political campaign ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
