Adityanath barred from entering Allahabad amid row over students’ union event

MIRZAPUR/ALLAHABAD, Nov 20:
Controversial BJP MP Yogi Adityanath was today barred from entering Allahabad where he was invited to a function by Allahabad University Students’ Union, with authorities claiming that permission had not been taken for the event.
The firebrand Gorakhpur MP was stopped at Vindhyachal in Mirzapur neighbouring Allahabad when he was on his way to attend the programme in the midst of a controversy over invitation to him which was opposed by certain student outfits.
SSP Mirzapur Arvind Sen told PTI that the district administration had received a communication from the Allahabad DM to stop Adityanath from reaching Allahabad as prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC were in force.
The SSP said if the MP tried to proceed further, he would be arrested.
Allahabad District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar and Senior Superintendent of Police K S Immanuel said Aditynath has been “advised” against entering the district and may face “legal action” if he does not comply. They said the Students’ Union has not taken permission for the event and the university has been asked not to allow it.
“The Union did not obtain necessary permission from the administration before organising its programme,” they said at a press conference late last night.
“However, we have taken note of the developments and directed the University authorities and the Union leaders to refrain from holding any unauthorised event.
“Moreover, the honourable Member of Parliament (Yogi Adityanath) has also been informed about the district administration’s decision.
“He has been advised against entering the district. If he does so, legal action may follow,” the officials said, adding that adequate deployment of forces has ben done along the borders of the district as a preventive measure.
Meanwhile, the Students’ Union’s president Richa Singh, who has been opposed to the visit of the BJP MP, began a hunger strike last night demanding that the varsity cancel the programme. She is miffed at her name being printed alongside those of other office-bearers on posters put up by BJP’s students’ wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Singh, who became the first woman to be elected to the president’s post after Independence earlier this year, had fought the elections as an independent candidate and emerged victorious owing to the support she received from Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, which decided to back her after its official candidate’s nomination papers were rejected during scrutiny.
Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha is the students’ wing of Samajwadi Party, which is in power in Uttar Pradesh.(PTI)