Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh police stopped Akhilesh Yadav and his party members from marching to the Vidhan Bhavan raising various issues concerning the people before the beginning of the Monsoon Session of the state legislature. Before encountering police barricades, the Samajwadi Party leader who was heading the march managed to travel 100 metres. Police claimed that the group did not have the authorization to march along their intended path.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, taking a dig at the Samajwadi Party, said they can ask questions in a democratic way, but it's "too much to expect" from them.
"There is no harm if any party asks their questions in a democratic way. Samajwadi Party should take permission for any procession which should not harm anyone. Following law and order is too much of an expectation from Samajwadi Party leaders," he said.
"They hadn't taken permission. Still, they were assigned a designated route which wouldn't have caused traffic congestion. They refused to take that. We've no option but to stop them here. If they take the designated route, there won't be a problem," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Piyush Mordia.
The party said it won't change the route -- starting at the SP office, passing through Raj Bhavan and Gandhi statue located near the General Post Office, and culminating at the Vidhan Bhavan. However, Akhilesh Yadav and his party leaders left the place where they were holding their sit-in after the police prevented their march. They have gone back to the party office for now.
The party, in a tweet with visuals of the march, said the BJP government is "killing democracy".
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prashad Maurya said that the march is not related to the benefit of the common people.
"SP's protest is not related to the benefit of the common people. If they want to discuss this, they are free to do it in the Assembly. Our government is ready for discussions. Such protests will only create problems for people," he said.
Mr Maurya also took a jibe at SP and said that the party is jobless now, and they have nothing to do.
Samajwadi Party MLAs and MLCs had planned to raise issues of unemployment, price rise, crime against women, and the poor law and order situation in the state during the march.