Yogi Adityanath’s ‘Do Namune’ Jab Turns Into Own Goal, Says Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday turned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s “do namune” jibe into a counterattack, calling it an “own goal” that, according to him, exposed internal rifts within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The exchange took place amid a heated debate over an alleged codeine-based cough syrup smuggling racket. Speaking in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Yogi Adityanath targeted opposition leaders, referring to “two specimens” sitting in Delhi and Lucknow — a remark widely interpreted as a swipe at Akhilesh Yadav and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

“Desh ke andar do namune hain. Ek Delhi mein baitha hai aur ek Lucknow mein,” the chief minister said, adding that these leaders “flee the country” whenever serious issues arise. He also took a personal dig at Akhilesh Yadav, suggesting he would soon leave for another foreign trip.

Akhilesh Yadav responded swiftly on X, branding the comment as “aatma-sweekriti” or self-admission. He argued that the remark sounded less like an attack on the opposition and more like an inadvertent acknowledgement of a Delhi–Lucknow divide within the BJP.

“No one expected the Delhi-Lucknow feud to reach such a level,” Akhilesh Yadav wrote, adding that people holding constitutional positions should maintain decorum and avoid airing internal party disputes in public. He cautioned that such remarks could force the ruling party to later “backtrack”.

The sharp exchange unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing political sparring over the alleged cough syrup racket. Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav had claimed that the smuggling network originated from Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawing strong rebuttals from the BJP.

Hitting back, Yogi Adityanath accused the Samajwadi Party of reacting out of guilt, using the phrase “chor ki dadhi mein tinka”. He asserted that investigations could eventually point towards leaders linked to the opposition.

The chief minister said the Allahabad High Court had ruled that the case be probed under the NDPS Act and claimed the state government had acted decisively. He cited official figures, stating that 79 cases had been registered, 225 accused identified, and 78 arrests made so far, with raids conducted on 134 firms.

Warning of stringent action, Yogi Adityanath said no accused would be spared and hinted at the possibility of bulldozer action against those found guilty.