Clouds of uncertainty on proposed visit of SP chief on Allahabad University campus

ALLAHABAD: Suspense looms large on the proposed visit of former UP chief minister and current Samajwadi Party (SP) president, Akhilesh Yadav to Allahabad on February 12. The SP chief is scheduled to arrive on the campus of the Allahabad University as the chief guest at an event marking the anniversary of AU student union.

This is the second time when a political leader's visit on the campus has become a matter of controversy.

It was in November 2015 when the then office bearers of AUSU had invited the present UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath for an inauguration event but the then AUSU president Richa Singh had opposed his visit. Following a strong opposition by her, Yogi had to cancel his programme on the varsity campus despite the fact that the varsity authorities had given permission for it.

Richa later jointed the SP and contested the last assembly election from Allahabad West and gave a tough fight to the winning candidate of BJP, Siddarth Nath Singh. Now she is the spokesperson of SP.

In the recent development, amid protests by youth wing of BJP, the advisory committee of AUSU has refused to give permission to Akhilesh’s visit on the campus.

"Varsity had refused to allow any political leader attending the event related to AUSU," said AU’s chief proctor, professor RS Dubey. We have notified the same to district administration too, he added.

The district police too has declined to give nod for Akhilesh’s visit. "The event was to take place at a central university and when they have refused to give permission to his visit, we would abide by it," said SSP Allahabad Nitin Tewari.

"This is the blatant example of double standards of the varisty administration, as in 2015, they had not only given permission for Yogi’s visit but had also offered the convocation ground within the Arts Campus of AU," said Richa. "And here we are inviting a former CM and that too at the union hall, so why is this discrimination," she added.