Lucknow: Amid ongoing tensions between the ruling and the opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has visited former UP minister Anupama Jaiswal, who is hospitalised after sustaining burn injuries while his effigy was being set on fire.
In Uttar Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers have been burning effigies of the Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders after the Modi government’s constitution amendment bill was defeated in Parliament.
On Saturday in Bahraich, Jaiswal was burning effigies of opposition heavyweights Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav for opposing the bill when the accident took place. She was admitted to the Medanta hospital in Lucknow, with burns on her head, hair and face.
Akhilesh reached the hospital on Tuesday to inquire about the BJP leader’s health. “We do not want flames of discord in society, we want harmony to prevail. Our tradition of positive politics has taught us this. That is why we went to meet BJP MLA Anupama Jaiswal and wished her a speedy recovery. Politics has its place, and so do human relationships. Let goodwill and harmony prevail,” the Samajwadi Party chief posted on X after the visit.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also shared photos from the visit on his social media handle.
An OBC leader, Jaiswal represents Bahraich in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. She was the minister of state for basic education, child development and nutrition from 2017 to 2019. She retained the seat in 2022 and has been active in the party’s organisational work.
Though BJP leaders have not yet issued any statement on Akhilesh’s visit, many within the ruling party are calling it a good gesture.
Senior SP leader Rajendra Chaudhary, who accompanied Akhilesh, said the SP chief believes in healthy politics. “He never hits below the belt and maintains a soft approach towards his opponents on a personal level. You may have noticed how he greeted Mayawati during the alliance days, and even before that, he was always concerned about her well-being. He is carrying forward the tradition of ‘Netaji’ Mulayam Singh Yadav,” Chaudhary added.
This gesture, another senior SP leader said, is part of a larger political strategy. “At a time when the BJP speaks about Mahila Samman (respect for women), Akhilesh ji was the first senior leader to visit Jaiswal. Neither Yogi Adityanath nor any of the deputy chief ministers has visited her yet. The BJP’s Mahila Samman narrative appears to be merely a political gesture, whereas Akhilesh ji genuinely cares for women, including his political opponents,” the SP leader said.
The leader added that Jaiswal, being an OBC leader, fits within the SP’s Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (PDA) plank and that Akhilesh’s visit conveyed a broad political message.
Later, Deputy Chief Ministers Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya reached the hospital and met the BJP legislator.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
