Lucknow: The BJP on Friday slammed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for a brawl during his press conference on Thursday in Moradabad in which several journalists were injured, one of them seriously, when his security men and party workers thrashed media persons.
During the press conference, Akhilesh Yadav got infuriated when media persons started countering his answers over his tall claims on coming back to power. He suddenly got up and refused to answer any media queries and left the press conference at a hotel in a huff.
When video journalists tried to seek his bytes, party workers heckled them and pushed them back. In the melee, several journalists were injured. A video journalist Fraeed Shamshi sustained fracture in his leg and was rushed to the hospital.
Other journalists alleged that they were chased by party workers and his personal security guards and beaten badly. Some of them took shelter in the kitchen of the hotel and others ran for safe cover. Situation would have taken an ugly turn had police not reached in time to control the situation.
The SSP Moradabad said that a police force was deployed there to maintain law and order. He said that they have not received any complaints from either side over the incident in which few scribes were injured.
A few days ago, Akhilesh had lost his temper during a press conference at party headquarters in Lucknow when a journalist asked him an uncomfortable question. “You have been sold off. Let me know how much you got. I know the owner of your channel,” was how Akhilesh had reacted.
The BJP has slammed Akhilesh for disrespecting media persons. The deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya asked the SP Chief: “What is going on with media persons.”
The BJP State Chief Swantantra Dev Singh said, “He can raise questions on Indian vaccines but when someone asks him a question he loses his temper.” Party Spokesperson Salabh Mani Tripathi said, “If he acts in such a manner out of power, what will happen to the state if he comes to power again.”
