Lucknow, May 11
Amid the tense aftermath of a recently concluded military confrontation between India and Pakistan and the ongoing "uneasy" calm along the Line of Control (LoC), Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has appealed to political leaders to refrain from using defence equipment or military settings as backdrops for personal publicity.
Taking to social media platform X on Sunday, Yadav expressed concerns over the growing trend of turning sensitive defence environments into photo opportunities. He urged political figures to display genuine solidarity with the armed forces rather than use such moments for self-promotion.
"In the current highly sensitive environment, 'defence-security' has become an even more serious issue. Politicians are requested to please not make it a photo background or selfie point. This is a time to stand with the armed forces, not alone for self-display," he wrote in Hindi.
Though Yadav did not mention any names, his remarks are widely interpreted as a veiled criticism of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was recently photographed with a BrahMos missile—or its model—during an event in Lucknow.
The comment comes at a time when political messaging around national security is under heightened scrutiny, particularly in the wake of cross-border military tensions.
