Akhilesh Yadav Highlights Intent Behind Laws Amid UGC Regulations Controversy
Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav, speaking in Lucknow on Thursday, emphasised that the language and spirit of any law should be explicit. He stated that the furore over new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations was not solely about the law itself but also about the intentions behind its implementation.
Supreme Court Intervention and Legal Reflections
Akhilesh Yadav noted that now the Supreme Court is seized of the matter, there is little that can be done but to follow the decision of the apex court. "Justice to one cannot be injustice to the other, and honourable courts ensure just that," he said. This comment came hours after the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, on grounds that they were "too sweeping" and required a closer look.
The Supreme Court directed that, for the time being, related UGC regulations introduced in 2012 would continue to be in force. Akhilesh Yadav suggested it is time to retrospect what happened to the 2012 regulations on the same issue, identify flaws and highpoints, and move forward from there.
Broader Concerns on Law and Implementation
In his address in Noida, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister elaborated on the broader implications. "It is not only about the law and its legal provisions alone. It is also about the intentions behind framing the law and its implementation," he stated. He pointed out that despite clear-cut provisions in the Constitution of India and numerous laws enacted over the years, discrimination and injustice persist.
"The bottom line should be that the guilty should not be spared and the innocents should not be meted out with injustice," Akhilesh Yadav asserted, underscoring the need for fairness in legal processes.
Criticism of BJP-Led Government
Taking on the BJP-led government at the Centre, the SP chief referenced the President's parliament address, where tall claims were made about India having the world's largest network of metro trains. He countered this by stating that despite a metro project being approved for Prime Minister's parliamentary constituency of Varanasi and a budget set aside by the erstwhile Samajwadi Party government, the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has set aside the project.
This criticism highlights ongoing political tensions and allegations of unfulfilled promises in infrastructure development, adding context to the discussion on governance and implementation.
