Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP over Agra violence, alleges attack on Constitution and PDA community

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday accused the ruling BJP of targeting the Dalits, backward classes and minorities. On his visit to Agra, Yadav met party MP Ramji Lal Suman, whose residence was recently vandalised allegedly by Karni Sena members over a comment he made in Parliament.

According to a statement issued here, the former chief minister said, "The attack on Suman's house was not an isolated incident. This was a planned conspiracy, a part of the BJP's strategy to intimidate and suppress the PDA communities." PDA, an acronym coined by the Samajwadi Party, stands for Pichhda (backward classes), Dalit and Alpsankhyak (minorities). Yadav claimed that swords were waved and death threats were issued openly during the attack, with no intervention from authorities.

"The BJP government is protecting criminals. When we file complaints, FIRs are not registered. But BJP leaders post threats on social media and face no consequences," he alleged.

Ramji Lal Suman's residence in Agra was attacked on March 26 allegedly by Karni Sena workers, days after the MP courted controversy over his remark in Parliament referring to Rana Sanga as "traitor" who brought Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi.

Rana Sanga, or Sangram Singh I, was the ruler of Mewar from 1508 to 1528.

Scores of activists and supporters of Karni Sena, a caste-based group advocating for Rajput pride, vandalised the lawmaker's house near Hariparvat Chauraha over the remark. Multiple cars parked outside the house were damaged, chairs broken and the house's glass windows shattered.

On April 12, members of over 40 kshatriya groups including Karni Sena assembled in Garhi area here and demanded that Suman apologises for his remarks.

The Karni Sena has also threatened that if the legislator does not apologise, kshatriya organisations will "formulate a strategy" for future action.

Akhilesh Yadav questioned the government's silence on threats made to him personally. "I stand with my Dalit MP Suman ji and now I am getting death threats too. Who is behind all this?" he asked.

The SP chief accused the government of undermining the Constitution and pushing Uttar Pradesh into a state without the rule of law. He cited multiple instances of caste-based violence across the state and alleged police inaction in each case.

Yadav also criticised the selective application of law, citing how action was taken against a person for cutting a cake with a sword on Emperor Ashoka's birth anniversary, while those waving swords during the Agra violence were not touched.

"The BJP's rule is driven by caste, not by the Constitution," he said.

The former chief minister went on to allege that the BJP is systematically dismantling reservation policies, pointing to the 2016 police recruitment where nearly 1,700 Dalit and backward candidates were allegedly denied jobs due to changes in the reservation system.

"The BJP is against PDA's reservation. No one is getting justice. This government has institutionalised oppression," he said.

Yadav emphasised that the Constitution of Dr B R Ambedkar should guide the country, not feudalism or caste-based dominance. "The show of power in Agra is a result of internal power struggles between Delhi and Lucknow," he claimed.

Yadav also attacked the BJP for stalling the state's development and for allegedly halting metro and smart city projects initiated in Agra by the Samajwadi Party government. "We brought investment to Agra. BJP brought traffic jams," he said.

Asserting his commitment to social justice, Yadav said, "Samajwadi Party will continue to fight for the rights enshrined by Ambedkar in the Constitution. We take a pledge to stand with the PDA family and protect democracy."