Lucknow/Amethi (UP), April 7 Posters and banners inspired by the Bollywood movie 'Dhurandhar', targeting Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, have appeared in several locations in Lucknow and Amethi, sparking a political controversy months before the 2027 assembly elections.
Yadav said that it doesn't matter what the Samajwadi Party or the BJP says, but if the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data is honestly presented by the media, people can decide for themselves.
The posters, put up outside the Amethi railway station and at various intersections, carry the slogan "What do you want? Akhilesh's Lyari rule." Lyari is a locality in Pakistan's Karachi, once notorious for gang wars and violence. It was mentioned in the film 'Dhurandhar'.
The hoardings, allegedly put up by a group calling itself "Youth Against Mafia", also juxtapose alleged incidents of violence and riots during Yadav's tenure as chief minister with the current government's crackdown on mafia and criminals under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The names and photographs of the organization's office-bearers, including its executive president, general secretary, and Pratapgarh in-charge, are also displayed on the posters.
Similar posters by the same organization were also seen in several places in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Interacting with reporters in Lucknow, Yadav urged the media to rely on NCRB data and present facts on crime incidents, saying the public would then decide "who stands where".
He also alleged deterioration in healthcare services and rising drug inflow under the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh.
"The Samajwadi Party may put up posters and the BJP can make claims, but the truth should be assessed through verified data. If journalists honestly bring out NCRB data and details of recent murders in key areas, and once the facts are presented, the public will decide for itself," he added.
Yadav also took a swipe at the government, saying people should themselves assess the situation and decide the nature of governance.
He further raised questions over funding of films and similar content, asking who was financing such productions and for what purpose.
The Samajwadi Party condemned the move, alleging political vendetta.
Amethi district spokesperson advocate Rajesh Mishra said the posters reflected the "frustration and desperation" of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government.
He claimed that the BJP was resorting to such tactics as it had realised that it would not return to power, adding that the public was aware of these "attempts to mislead".
Amethi police station in-charge Ravi Singh said that police had received information about the posters and a team had been sent to the spot.
