The political landscape of Uttar Pradesh witnessed fresh turmoil as Aparna Yadav, the chairperson of the State Women's Commission and a prominent BJP leader, found herself at the centre of a major controversy. The incident unfolded at Lucknow's prestigious King George's Medical University (KGMU) last Friday, where Yadav and her supporters allegedly forced their way into the Vice-Chancellor's office, leading to accusations of vandalism and a heated standoff with the university administration.
The KGMU Confrontation: What Transpired?
The flashpoint was the recent arrest of a junior resident doctor at KGMU, accused of the forcible religious conversion and sexual exploitation of two women at the institute. Aparna Yadav arrived at the campus seeking a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, Padma Shri awardee Dr. Soniya Nityananda, a renowned hematologist. According to the university's account, Yadav's supporters attempted to barge into the VC's office, resulting in damage to university property.
While Yadav criticised KGMU's handling of the sensitive case, alleging the university was involved in "religious conversion" and preventing women doctors from approaching her Commission, the administration presented a different narrative. They accused her and her entourage of vandalism and creating a ruckus on the campus. In response, Vice-Chancellor Nityananda reportedly sought immediate intervention by calling the offices of Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The university also lodged a formal police complaint against Aparna Yadav for the alleged vandalism.
Political Fallout and Rising Tensions
The aftermath of the confrontation has escalated tensions significantly. KGMU staff have threatened to launch a protest, citing the police's failure to register an FIR based on their complaint. This development puts additional pressure on the state government and the BJP leadership, of which Yadav is a member.
Political observers and sources within the BJP suggest that Aparna Yadav's aggressive posture may be linked to her ambitions for a larger role within the party or a ticket for the 2027 UP Assembly elections. The 36-year-old leader, who is married to Prateek Yadav, the younger son of late SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, has been striving to carve a distinct political identity. Despite her family's deep roots in the Samajwadi Party, she switched allegiance to the BJP ahead of the 2022 state polls, citing inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Who is Aparna Yadav? A Profile
Aparna Yadav's journey is marked by elite education and a gradual political ascent. She holds a postgraduate degree in International Relations and Politics from the University of Manchester, UK, and is a trained classical and semi-classical singer from Lucknow's Bhatkhande Music Institute. Before entering politics, she was a regular performer at cultural festivals like the Saifai Mahotsav.
Her political initiation came in 2014 during an SP National Executive meeting. In 2017, she was given a ticket from the Lucknow Cantonment constituency, a move orchestrated by Mulayam Singh Yadav himself. However, she lost to the BJP's Rita Bahuguna Joshi. Gradually sidelined within the SP, her vocal support for CM Yogi Adityanath's policies fueled speculation of her joining the BJP, which materialised in 2022. After not receiving an election ticket, she was appointed vice-chairperson of the UP State Women's Commission in September 2024, a position she reportedly accepted after a meeting with CM Adityanath.
Following the KGMU incident, Aparna Yadav met with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The episode has not only sparked a legal and administrative row but also highlighted the complex interplay of politics, governance, and institutional integrity in Uttar Pradesh. The coming days will be crucial in determining the political and legal repercussions for the BJP leader as the university staff demand action and the police face calls to investigate the vandalism claims.
