Why was LIU official present during Akhilesh's press meet?: SP queries govt

The Samajwadi Party on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government why a local intelligence unit official was present during its national president Akhilesh Yadav's press conference at the party office here. "The state government should answer why a LIU (local intelligence unit) person was sent to the party office during national president Akhilesh Yadav's press conference," said the party's Twitter handle in Hindi.

Senior party leader and former minister Pawan Pandey said, "It's a very serious matter that a LIU official sits in the press conference of our national president. It shows that the government was afraid of the SP and its leadership. "We want an explanation from the government. Our party, however, will not stop raising issues of public interest and continue to fight for the cause of the common man," Pawan added.

Yadav had on Sunday held a press conference in the party office and had criticised the ruling BJP, alleging that the new citizenship law has been brought to "divert attention" from the "virtually destroyed" economy and rising unemployment. "The economy is in dire straits, has been virtually destroyed, and unemployment is at an all-time high. To divert attention from these issues, the CAA was enacted," he had told reporters.