Avoid statements BJP can exploit: Akhilesh Yadav's directive to SP leaders

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday cautioned party leaders against making statements that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could exploit to target the party. He was addressing an Independence Day event at the party headquarters in Lucknow.

“No statement should be made that the BJP can exploit. We will print a pamphlet for every leader,” Mr. Yadav said. “Instruct them to speak only from this material. Don’t speak otherwise.”

The warning came a day after senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav triggered a political row by saying that Azam Khan, who is currently in jail, would be appointed Home Minister in the state if the SP came to power. Mr. Shivpal Yadav made the remark after meeting Mr. Khan in prison.

The statement drew a sharp reaction from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. In an apparent reference to the SP leader and Mr. Khan, he said the party was standing behind someone who had built a university named after an individual he described as “responsible for India’s Partition” and “opposed to the country’s Independence.”

Mr. Adityanath was referring to the Jauhar University in Rampur, established by Azam Khan. The university is named after Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, a prominent freedom fighter and a leader of the Khilafat movement. The Chief Minister asked, “Just look at their thinking. This means they want to trigger riots again.”

The historical assessment of Mohammad Ali Jauhar is complex. He was a co-founder of Jamia Millia Islamia and a vocal opponent of British colonial rule. However, his political positions in the early 20th century, particularly around the issue of separate electorates, have been disputed by some historians. The characterization of him as responsible for Partition is contested.

Azam Khan, a former minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, has been in jail since 2022 in connection with multiple cases, including allegations of land encroachment and hate speech. He denies all charges. His supporters say the legal proceedings against him are an attempt to marginalise him politically.

Mr. Akhilesh Yadav’s directive to his party leaders to stick to approved communication materials is seen as an effort to impose message discipline. The SP has often been criticised for unguarded remarks by its leaders, which have given the BJP ammunition in electoral battles.

Uttar Pradesh is a politically crucial state, sending 80 members to the Lok Sabha and electing a 403-member Legislative Assembly. The SP and the BJP are the primary contenders in the state, and their rivalry often plays out through bitter public exchanges. The BJP has repeatedly accused the SP of pandering to minorities, while the SP has criticised the BJP for what it calls divisive politics. This latest episode is expected to intensify that rhetoric in the coming days.

The timing of the controversy is significant, as Uttar Pradesh is expected to go to polls in the coming years. Political analysts believe that the BJP will continue to use such statements to question the SP's commitment to communal harmony, while the SP will try to focus on issues such as farmer distress and unemployment.

Mr. Akhilesh Yadav's pamphlet plan, if implemented, would be a novel way to ensure that party leaders speak in unison. It remains to be seen how effective it will be in preventing controversies.