"Government concerned about Akhilesh's security" UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on JPNIC row

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 11 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar came out in defence of BJP led UP government after Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling BJP of not granting permission to socialists to pay tribute to Jai Prakash Narayan on his birth anniversary. Rajbhar cited security reasons behind the steps to not allow Akhilesh to JP International Centre (JPNIC).
Speaking to ANI UP Minister Rajbhar, he said, "The state government is concerned about his (Akhilesh Yadav) security. It's rainy season, and that place (JPNIC) hasn't been cleaned, so anything can happen."
The came after Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling BJP of not granting permission to socialists to pay tribute to Jai Prakash Narayan on his birth anniversary.
On Friday, Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) refused to grant him permission to visit Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) here on the freedom fighter's birth anniversary. The LDA said that JPNIC is an active construction site with scattered materials that can be hazardous.
The SP chief garlanded a statue of Jai Prakash Narayan on a road outside the JPNIC. He alleged that the UP government is trying to sell the JPNIC.
UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar noted that the BJP government has installed the statues of many great personalities of India.
"If he (Akhilesh Yadav) says that the BJP-NDA government doesn't respect great personalities, four times SP has been in power--if he can show just one picture where Raja Suheldev or Saint Ravidas statues were installed. In the NDA government, statues of Vallabhbhai Patel, Raja Suheldev, and BR Ambedkar were installed. 'Abhi wo Pakistan ka paani peekar aaye hain' and hence he just opposes, he could not see the development," the Uttar Pradesh minister added.
Akhilesh Yadav said that if there is any security concern, they should have allowed him with security.
"BJP has a line of destruction in its hands. Destructive expressions can be seen on their faces. They are destructive people. How can you expect from the CM that he will respect the great personalities? What does he know about Jai Prakash Narayan and his contribution? If he had known about his (Jai Prakash Narayan) contribution, the force that is being deployed here to stop us, the same force would have facilitated us to pay tribute - this force shouldn't have been deployed on Navratri, and he would have allowed us to celebrate the festival as he is celebrating," he said.
Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Akhilesh Yadav of doing politics in the matter, adding that the SP has forgotten the ideals of Jai Prakash Narayan.
"Akhilesh Yadav is doing politics. The notice that has been issued makes it very clear that the construction is incomplete. Had Akhilesh Yadav had good intentions, he could have paid tribute to Jai Prakash Narayan even in his office. Today, SP has forgotten the ideals of Jai Prakash Narayan. Had they followed those ideals, they would not have forged an alliance with the Congress party," he said. (ANI)