Akhilesh Yadav's Facebook Account Suspended, SP Protests

The official Facebook account of Akhilesh Yadav, president of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, was suspended on Friday evening, sparking significant political backlash. The verified account, which has over 8 million followers, was deactivated around 6 pm without prior notice. Sources indicate that Facebook suspended the account for allegedly sharing inappropriate content.

The account was a key platform for Yadav to communicate his political views, critique government policies, and engage with supporters. Following the suspension, the SP's IT team promptly contacted Meta and the Facebook India team to address the issue. By Saturday morning, the account was restored, with all previous posts, images, and videos accessible again.

While Meta has not provided an explanation for the suspension, SP leaders have condemned the action as a political conspiracy. Ghosi MP Rajiv Rai expressed his outrage on X, stating, "Blocking the account of the leader of the third largest party in the country's parliament, the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav ji, by Facebook is not only condemnable but also a blow to India's democratic system. If this has been done at the behest of the ruling party, it is a sign of cowardice. Trying to suppress the voice of socialists is a mistake."

SP spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand echoed these sentiments, calling the suspension an "attack on democracy." He remarked, "The BJP government has imposed an undeclared emergency, where every opposing voice is being suppressed. But the Samajwadi Party will continue to oppose the BJP's anti-people policies."

In response to the allegations, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw clarified that the government had no involvement in the suspension. He stated, "The action has been taken by Facebook. The government has no role in it. An abusive post was made from his account, because of which Facebook has taken this decision according to its own policies."