IT Minister Denies Government Role in Akhilesh Yadav's Facebook Account Suspension

Akhilesh Yadav maintains a significant presence on Facebook with approximately 85 lakh followers.

Following the suspension of Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav's Facebook account, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw clarified on Saturday that the government had "no role" in this decision. Vaishnaw stated that the action was taken independently by Facebook according to their platform policies.

"Facebook took action based on some post on his account in accordance with their policy. The government had absolutely no involvement in this matter," Vaishnaw explained.

Yadav's Facebook account became inaccessible for several hours on Friday evening, triggering accusations from the Samajwadi Party that the suspension was orchestrated at the BJP's instigation. The party alleged this was part of efforts to silence opposition voices.

"Suspending the Facebook account of the national president of India's third-largest party, Akhilesh Yadav, represents an attack on democratic principles. The BJP government has effectively imposed an undeclared emergency across the country, attempting to suppress any opposing voices. Nevertheless, the Samajwadi Party remains committed to challenging the BJP's anti-people policies," wrote SP spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand on X.

In conversation with NDTV, Chaand further asserted that "the BJP demonstrates no commitment to democratic values and is actively working to undermine democracy."

"We are considering legal action. These tactics will not deter us from continuing to raise issues that affect the public," he added.

Amid the allegations and subsequent government clarification, Yadav revealed that his account was suspended due to posts concerning the Ballia recruitment issue and a journalist's murder. "Facebook raised objections to certain content. A complaint was filed regarding posts about the Ballia recruitment incident and a journalist's murder case—content that Facebook categorized as sexual exploitation material," Yadav explained.

Yadav regularly utilizes his Facebook platform to share his perspectives, critique government policies, and maintain connections with his supporters. His page has amassed approximately 85 lakh followers.