SP chief Akhilesh Yadav rebooting self with Gita, Harrison’s Radha-Krishna

Subhash Mishra | TNN | Updated: Apr 21, 2020, 08:52 IST

Akhilesh Yadav clicked the above pic of his family members at his residence

LUCKNOW: When politics is on a pause mode in the lockdown, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is utilising time in re-reading Bhagwad Gita, Mahatma Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj and famous speeches of Ram Manohar Lohia. He also misses no chance to listen to Radha Krishna songs by George Harrison of Beatles fame and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s 'bhajans'.
As political activities have come to a standstill, Akhilesh is able to give time to his ageing father Mulayam Singh Yadav. Last week, he had gifted a book of Indumati Kelkar on Lohia’s life to his father. Few days later, when he went to meet 'netaji' again the senior Yadav handed him over the same book after getting it properly bound. When Mulayam asked his son about some quotes in the book, Akhilesh told him that he would discuss the point after going through it thoroughly.
Talking to TOI, the SP president said that whenever he could spare time from monitoring the food distribution work or looking into problems and grievances of the poor, he starts reading books of famous speeches of Ram Manohar Lohia as well as 'netaji'. “This is a great learning experience,” he said.
Akhilesh is also going through books on famous correspondences between Lohia and Jawaharlal Nehru on various issues concerning the country, the polity and ways to check spread of communalism.
Listening to George Harrison's songs and studying his experiences why he became a part of the 'Hare Krishna movement', the former chief minister said that “Krishna is the greatest pholosopher. He guides you in difficult times and solves everyone's problems. I am also trying to follow path shown by Geeta in my day-to-day life.” Now Akhilesh feels that someone has aptly written: “Don’t ridicule or annoy communal minds. Pity on them for being misguided. Bring them into the mainstream.”
Akhilesh is also devoting at least a hour in listening to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi's famous 'bhajans' daily after his morning and evening workouts. It keeps him mentally and physically strong in these testing times.
Basically a family man, Akhilesh still does not forget to tell everybody in his family the importance of maintaining social distancing. “This is a must to keep the corona threat away,” he said adding that due to the lockdown he is also able to give time to his family, including wife Dimple, twins Arjun and Tina and eldest daughter Aditi.