Akhilesh Yadav accuses UP govt of vilifying Noida workers’ protest, questions governance

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over its handling of the ongoing workers’ protest in Noida, accusing it of attempting to malign the agitation by linking it to a conspiracy and branding it as Naxalism.

‎In a strongly-worded post on his WhatsApp channel, Yadav questioned the state administration’s claims and raised concerns about intelligence inputs. “If the Hon’ble Chief Minister is calling the workers’ movement in Noida a conspiracy, then the public has a question for you: if this is true, was your intelligence police accompanying you to campaign in Bengal, or were they busy studying vegetation, or under its influence,” he asked.

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Targeting the government’s approach, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the workers’ grievances were being ignored. “Before defaming the workers’ movement by branding it as Naxalism, you should explain what you have done that in ten years such conditions have arisen,” he said, adding, “If you cannot apply balm to the workers’ wounds, then don’t—but at least do not sprinkle salt on them.”
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Yadav also linked the unrest to broader economic distress, alleging that inflation driven by corruption had worsened the situation for ordinary families. “Families are already distressed due to the inflation born out of BJP-style commission-driven corruption, and the baseless blame you are placing on top of that is highly condemnable. This could make the situation worse,” he said.

Escalating his criticism, he suggested that the government had lost its ability to govern effectively. “If you are unable to govern the state, then step down from this position with dignity; otherwise, the public will remove you,” he asserted.

‎The Samajwadi Party leader further accused the ruling party of widespread corruption and administrative failure. “BJP members themselves are deeply immersed in the final stages of corruption, which is why they are unable to manage either the country or the state,” he said.

‎Taking a swipe at the BJP’s “double engine” governance narrative — often used to describe governments led by the Bharatiya Janata Party at both the Centre and state—Yadav said it had turned into a burden for citizens. “The BJP’s ‘double engine’ has become a ‘trouble engine’ for the public. The people will dismantle these engines, remove their parts, and send them permanently to the scrapyard,” he added.

‎The remarks from the SP chief came amid heightened political tensions in Uttar Pradesh over labour issues and law-and-order concerns, with opposition parties accusing the government of suppressing dissent and failing to address workers’ demands, while the ruling BJP has maintained that it is committed to maintaining order and development in the state.