Magh Mela Controversy: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav Accuses BJP Of Insulting Shankaracharyas

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of insulting Shankaracharyas over the Magh Mela incident in Prayagraj. Speaking in Lucknow, he called the conduct “adharmic” and urged respect for religious leaders. He also criticised the BJP’s pro-capitalist policies, alleging they widen the gap between rich and poor while undermining farmers’ interests.

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BISWAJEET BANERJEE Updated: Thursday, January 22, 2026, 07:11 PM IST
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav | X @ANI

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav | X @ANI

Lucknow: Stepping up his attack on the Yogi Adityanath government over the Magh Mela controversy, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday accused the BJP of insulting Shankaracharyas and undermining religious traditions, saying the recent incident in Prayagraj had exposed what he described as the ruling party’s “adharmic” conduct.

Addressing the media in Lucknow, Akhilesh said the dispute over Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s holy dip at the Magh Mela was unfortunate and that seers must be accorded full respect. “Shankaracharya ji should be given full respect. The BJP is committing adharma by insulting him,” he said.

Akhilesh said that at a time when the BJP was promoting capitalism through its policies and pushing a communal agenda, it was important to remember the socialist movement of Janeshwar Mishra. He alleged that the BJP supported big industrialists and large traders, which was widening the gap between the rich and the poor.

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“Today farmers are not getting a fair price for their produce. All schemes, laws and programmes are being designed to benefit capitalists. That is why the relevance of the socialist movement has increased even more,” he said, adding that the Samajwadi Party was carrying forward the legacy of Janeshwar Mishra, Mulayam Singh Yadav and other socialist leaders.

Published on: Thursday, January 22, 2026, 07:11 PM IST

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