Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav launched a sharp attack on the BJP government over alleged illegal mining activities in Banda district.
In an emotional appeal to the people of Banda through a social media post on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the district was being destroyed by ruthless mining operations.
He warned that if the exploitation continued, the world would one day say: “There was once a Banda.”
Akhilesh Yadav alleged that large-scale mining carried out under the BJP government, in collaboration with what he described as “greedy contractors,” was devastating Banda and displacing its natural and economic balance. He termed the situation a form of “natural oppression” that had severely disrupted the local production cycle.
He further said that the lack of employment opportunities had forced people to migrate from the region, making Banda a victim of what he called “natural migration.” According to him, the resulting decline in population and economic activity was adversely affecting the value and prestige of properties in the district.
The SP chief appealed for the protection of Banda’s natural, cultural, religious and historical heritage, as well as its tourism potential.
He urged local citizens, journalists, environmentalists, youth and student organisations, women’s groups, cultural and literary activists, and socially conscious organisations to rise above politics and unite to save the district.
Akhilesh Yadav warned that unless immediate action was taken, Banda could disappear from the environmental map and permanently lose its socio-economic significance.