Akhilesh Yadav Challenges UP CM Yogi Adityanath to Release District-Wise Details of 64,000 Acres ‘Recovered Land’

By Political Bureau

New Delhi Chronicle

LUCKNOW: The political landscape in Uttar Pradesh witnessed a sharp escalation as Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav directly threw down the gauntlet at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Yadav challenged the Chief Minister to make public the district-wise breakdowns and land records of the “64,000 acres” of land that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claims to have freed from illegal encroachments since 2017.

The confrontation follows remarks made by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during a public rally in Chitrakoot, where he announced that his administration had successfully reclaimed 64,000 acres of public, commercial, and private land. Adityanath had alleged that during the previous Samajwadi Party regimes, “goons” carrying the party flag routinely grabbed public property, which has now been repurposed for development projects, universities, and medical colleges.

Firing back on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister questioned the authenticity of the government’s figures.

“To establish the credibility of your statement, please also release the district-wise list showing the area and land records of the so-called 64,000 acres of land that you claim to have got vacated,” Yadav posted in Hindi, directly targeting the Chief Minister’s narrative on governance and law and order.

Rising Friction Over State Data and SIT Probes

The Akhilesh Yadav land recovery challenge is part of a broader, multi-pronged opposition offensive against the state administration. In his statement, the SP chief did not limit his critique to land records; he also took aim at the special investigation teams (SIT) set up by the current administration.

Yadav sharply questioned the credibility of the SIT formed to look into allegations of financial irregularities and the embezzlement of donations at Ayodhya’s Ram temple.

“After the theft in the Ayodhya temple, the way you constituted a sham SIT and got an arbitrary report prepared to cover up the matter, the society has completely lost faith in your words and assurances,” Yadav stated. He went on to invoke previous data controversies, drawing parallels to the state’s disputed death toll statistics issued during the Kumbh Mela.

“When there is a difference between the figures spoken and the figures written, which one should the public trust?” the SP chief asked.

BJP Defends Reclaimed Land and Infrastructure Strides

The ruling BJP has strongly rebuffed Yadav’s demands, maintaining that the anti-encroachment drives have significantly altered the investment and security climate in Uttar Pradesh. During his address in Chitrakoot, where he laid the foundation stones for development initiatives worth ₹951 crore, Adityanath claimed that the freed land was actively generating employment through new industrial corridors and institutions.

Adityanath further attacked the opposition for trying to exploit internal temple issues to “defam the legacy of Lord Ram.” The Chief Minister clarified that the SIT investigation in Ayodhya was initiated at the explicit request of the temple trust itself, leading to swift FIR filings against the specific individuals caught mishandling donations.

With the state political machinery gearing up for long-term electoral battles, the battle of narratives surrounding land ownership, transparency, and administrative statistics is expected to intensify further. The state government has yet to officially respond to Yadav’s demands for the public release of the automated land records.