Fire safety inspections at coaching centres could become extortion tool: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has accused the BJP government of using the ongoing fire safety inspections at coaching institutes in Uttar Pradesh to harass the public and claimed that the exercise could become a tool for corruption. In the wake of the Aliganj building fire, the government is conducting inspections at coaching centres, sealing several institutes and issuing notices to them for alleged violations of fire safety and building regulations.

In a post on X on Wednesday night, Yadav said, "Now the BJP government has brought in a 'coaching shutdown'." Alleging selective enforcement, he said, "The BJP is troubling the public in the name of safety standards to hide its corruption.

No compromise should be made with safety, but was the government sleeping for the past 10 years? How did the government suddenly find enough staff in a single day to issue notices to thousands of people across the state after inspections?" The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister further alleged that the campaign could lead to extortion.

Also read Delhi govt orders inspection of 923 coaching centres after Lucknow fire tragedy

"The truth is that a game of collecting crores of rupees has now begun in the name of safety standards and permissions. BJP leaders know how to find wealth in a disaster," he said. Yadav also expressed concern over the impact of the crackdown on students preparing for competitive examinations.

"What will happen to the lakhs of students if coaching institutes are shut down? It would be better to issue notices and direct institutions to immediately put safety measures in place so that students living on rent can complete their courses on time," he said. Shutting down coaching centres would place an additional financial burden on students and their families, he said.

In a swipe at the ruling party, Yadav said, "If the BJP puts a stop to its corruption, every problem can be solved." Earlier on Wednesday, Yadav said that the deaths in the Aliganj fire tragedy could have been prevented had authorities enforced safety standards in time and responded promptly to emergency calls. He also demanded enhanced compensation and long-term support for the victims' families.