Samajwadi Party Claims Attack on Uttar Pradesh Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey in Gorakhpur

During a visit to Gorakhpur, Samajwadi Party veteran and Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Mata Prasad Pandey, encountered significant opposition from BJP supporters and traders. The Samajwadi Party claimed that Pandey was attacked by anti-social elements. This incident occurred on Wednesday when Pandey was en route to address the media at Tiwari Hata.

At Narmal Chauraha, BJP workers and traders halted Pandey's convoy, chanting slogans like "SP wapas jao" (Go back SP). A minor altercation followed, resulting in damage to some Samajwadi Party vehicles, including broken windows. In response, Pandey and his supporters staged a sit-in protest on the road. Simultaneously, BJP supporters and traders held their own protest at the same location.

Political Tensions in Gorakhpur

The police intervened to disperse the BJP crowd, allowing Pandey to continue after a brief interaction with some traders. The Samajwadi Party convoy then resumed its journey to Tiwari Hata. Speaking to reporters later, Pandey expressed concerns about inadequate compensation for traders whose land was being acquired for road widening projects.

Pandey stated, "Traders are not getting fair compensation of land. When we went to inspect the situation where houses are being demolished for road widening, we were stopped mid-way by BJP workers and an MLA. The window of our vehicle was smashed." Meanwhile, BJP MLA Vipin Singh dismissed these claims as political theatrics aimed at gaining mileage.

Samajwadi Party's Allegations

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged that Pandey and former MLA Lal Bihari Yadav were attacked by anti-social elements during their Gorakhpur visit. Yadav condemned the incident on social media, raising concerns about democracy in Uttar Pradesh. He demanded strict action against those responsible for the attack.

Yadav posted in Hindi on X: "The attack on Mata Prasad Pandey ji and Lal Bihari Yadav ji by anti-social elements during their Gorakhpur visit is deeply condemnable." He further added that if political outreach is met with violence by state-backed forces, it signifies rule by anarchy.

Demands for Action

The Samajwadi Party chief warned that failure to act against the culprits would be seen as a deliberate conspiracy. He suggested that those who oppose the government's housing scheme or political stance are targeted. The party's official X handle accused the BJP-led government of shielding criminals and suppressing dissenting voices.

The party stated: "To silence the truth, the government is relying on goons." They alleged that the attack aimed to prevent traders from voicing grievances and demanded impartial police action. However, there was no official response from local authorities or police regarding the incident, and no arrests had been made by Wednesday night.

With inputs from PTI