UP government cabinet minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has once again targeted SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. In a letter posted on social media, he has exposed the alleged ‘economic exploitation’ of Samajwadi Party workers. Rajbhar claimed that some SP workers claiming to be Yadavs had come to him with their complaints. He complained that illegal fees worth thousands of rupees were being collected for meeting Akhilesh Yadav or breaking his security cordon. In the letter, Rajbhar advised Akhilesh to immediately stop this ‘rate-at-the-gate’ system.
Rajbhar clearly said in the letter that Akhilesh’s Yadav workers had complained to him. According to activists, ₹5,000 were being charged for getting a photo clicked with Akhilesh and ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 for shaking hands with him. Rajbhar asked why the son of a ‘Dhartiputra’ (son of the soil) was forced to make such extortion money from his own party workers?
Referring to the 900-fold increase in Akhilesh Yadav’s wealth, Rajbhar questioned the need for such ‘additional income’. He warned that if this extortion is not stopped, not only will the public defeat him in the next elections, but the angry workers themselves will ensure his defeat, leaving him unable to get enough seats to even be recognized as the leader of the opposition.
According to Om Prakash Rajbhar: “You must be wondering that when the workers are yours, the recovery is yours and the security cover is yours, then why did I intervene. I had to intervene for two reasons. First, even if you consider me an enemy, I consider you a friend. Second, your fans and workers shared their grief with me and said, ‘Minister-ji, if you talk to them, perhaps our situation will improve.’ He said that if I speak, Akhilesh *bhaiya* will definitely listen and understand. Since the workers are poor, I decided to convey this to you. I am advising you as a friend: stop this ‘business’ in your meetings, my friend, or it could prove very costly.”