The official Facebook account of Akhilesh Yadav, the president of the Samajwadi Party (SP), has been reinstated, as confirmed by party sources on Saturday. Previously, the account had been suspended under unclear circumstances.
Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, clarified that the government had no involvement in the account's suspension. He stated that a derogatory post from Yadav's account led to Facebook blocking it in accordance with their policies.
On Saturday morning, Yadav commemorated the birth anniversary of socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan by sharing a quote on his account, which read, 'By total revolution, I mean seeing the most oppressed person in society at the pinnacle of power.'
SP spokesperson Deepak Ranjan confirmed the suspension and subsequent restoration of the social media page. Meanwhile, the party's chief spokesperson, Rajendra Chaudhary, expressed uncertainty about the account's status but emphasized the need to investigate who was behind the suspension, labeling it a blatant attempt to obstruct democratic expression and truth.
Earlier, SP leaders accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of attempting to impose an undeclared emergency by suspending the account, which boasts over 8 million followers, to silence dissenting voices.
Sources indicated that Yadav's official Facebook account was suspended around 6 PM on Friday. He regularly uses this page to share his views, highlight government shortcomings, and engage with supporters.
In response to the suspension, Rajiv Rai, an SP Member of Parliament from Ghazipur, criticized the blocking of Yadav's account on 'X', calling it not only shameful but also an attack on India's democratic framework. He warned that if this action was taken at the behest of the ruling party, it would signify cowardice. Additionally, SP spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand accused the BJP government of imposing an undeclared emergency in a post on 'X'.
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