Oppn workers kept under 'house arrest' in UP districts , alleges Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday night alleged that in many districts of Uttar Pradesh, the district magistrate and the police administration are "illegally" putting workers of opposition parties under house arrest so that they cannot participate in the counting of votes.

Such incidents should be stopped immediately and the "detained" people should be released immediately, Yadav, who is contesting from Kannauj, said in a post on X in Hindi.

"Honourable Supreme Court, @ECISVEEP (Election Commission of India), @CEOUP (Chief Electoral Officer, Uttar Pradesh), Police Chief @dgpup @Uppolice should immediately take cognisance of the fact that in many districts of Uttar Pradesh, apart from Mirzapur, Aligarh, Kannauj, the district magistrate and the police administration are illegally putting the political workers of the opposition under house arrest ('nazarbandh'), so that they cannot participate in the counting of votes tomorrow," he said.

"When all political parties are working peacefully, the government and administration should also not do any such unethical work which may lead to public anger," the former chief minister said.

It is hoped that such biased DM and administrative officers will be removed immediately and the counting of votes will be completed in a peaceful environment, the SP chief added.

A day before the votes are counted in the Lok Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav had - while invoking Mahatma Gandhi's "do or die" call - said the youth are agitated and ready to take part in a "new freedom movement".

The BJP objected to Yadav's remarks and urged the Election Commission to take strict action against attempts by the Samajwadi Party to spread "anarchy" on Tuesday when the counting of votes in Lok Sabha polls takes place.