Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, accusing it of handling a massive codeine cough syrup cartel with undue leniency. He pointedly questioned the absence of the state's famed 'bulldozer action' against those involved in the multi-crore narcotics scam.
Selective Justice: Bulldozer Action Under Scrutiny
In a post on his X account, Akhilesh Yadav presented a chart to highlight what he called a pattern of selective enforcement. He stated that out of 24 instances where bulldozer action was initiated, a staggering 22 cases targeted individuals from the PDA community – an acronym for Pichhde (Backward classes), Dalits, and Alpsankhyak (Minorities). According to his data, action was taken against members of a particular upper caste in only two of those cases.
"Why is the BJP bulldozer silent on the multi-crore codeine drug syndicate?" the former Chief Minister asked, contrasting the government's aggressive stance in other cases with its perceived inaction here.
The Expanding Web of the Codeine Syrup Racket
Yadav detailed the alarming scale and reach of the illicit operation. The scam, initially estimated to be worth Rs 100 crore, is now assessed to involve approximately Rs 200 crore. He revealed that what began as a racket confined to one or two districts has metastasized into a well-organized syndicate.
The network now spans several Indian states including Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Shockingly, its tentacles have also reached international borders, extending to Nepal and Bangladesh, and as far as South Africa.
The issue resonated in Parliament on the same day. Samajwadi Party MP from Machlishaher, Priya Saroj, demanded stringent action against the culprits. This followed an earlier intervention by SP MP from Azamgarh, Dharmendra Yadav, on December 3. Dharmendra had highlighted how the syndicate, allegedly led by members of a particular caste, flourished in the Purvanchal region.
"It flourished in and around Varanasi, which is represented by our Prime Minister. The Chief Minister himself visits the area four to five times every month," Dharmendra stated in Parliament, underscoring the political significance of the location.
Alleged Denial of Permission for Ambedkar Event
In a separate but related development, the Samajwadi Party accused the Lucknow district administration and police of acting under political pressure to stifle its outreach. The party claimed it was denied permission to hold an event marking the death anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan on December 6.
The event was organized by the Samajwadi Babasaheb Ambedkar Vahini (SBAV) and was to be chaired by Akhilesh Yadav. Party national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary condemned the administration's decision as "dictatorial."
Speaking to the media, Chaudhary alleged that the move exposed the BJP's fear of the SP's growing popularity among Dalit communities. "The BJP is scared of SP's PDA outreach, of which Dalits are a major part," he asserted. The press conference announcing this was attended by senior leaders including SP state president Shyam Lal Pal and SBAV president Mithai Lal Bharti.
These twin accusations – one concerning a major drug scam and alleged biased enforcement, and the other about obstructing a Dalit outreach event – form a concerted political offensive by the principal opposition party in Uttar Pradesh, setting the stage for a heated political confrontation.
