Uttar Pradesh Minister, Om Prakash Rajbhar, criticized Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav for his comments on the demolition of illegal structures at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur. Rajbhar questioned why the previous SP government did not regularize the land during its tenure.
Rajbhar accused Akhilesh Yadav of wanting to harm SP leader Azam Khan and questioned why the government land was not transferred to the university’s name when the SP was in power. The controversy arose after the Rampur Development Authority ordered the demolition of 38 out of 40 buildings at the university.
Akhilesh Yadav had urged public support to save the university, calling it a “temple of education.” He criticized the BJP-led government for allegedly politicizing the issue. The Uttar Pradesh minister also called on Akhilesh Yadav to distance himself from dynastic politics before claiming to follow socialist ideals.
Reacting to criticism from Maulana Arshad Madani, Rajbhar questioned why the government land was not transferred to the university during the SP’s five-year rule. The Uttar Pradesh government defended the demolition as legal, while the SP accused the government of acting out of political vendetta. The Rampur Development Authority has given the university 15 days to remove unauthorized structures.
