Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced on Saturday that he will lead a PDA Rath tour to Raebareli following accusations that state officials had manhandled party workers during a student‑wing event—videos of the confrontation had already gone viral.
The incident, which took place on 6 September, saw several SP workers, including an MLA, shoved by police during a rally that the party claimed had not been officially sanctioned by the local administration. Akhilesh said the Police Department denied any wrongdoing until the footage was released.
In response, the Uttar Pradesh government released a statement demanding a formal inquiry and accusing the SP of stirring unrest. “We expect a transparent investigation into the alleged misconduct,” said Minister of Home Affairs Rajesh Kumar.
The PDA Rath, touted as the party’s first major outreach vehicle ahead of the 2027 elections, will traverse key constituencies in the heartland. Akhilesh plans to use the tour to rally the PDA—Pichhara, Dalit and Adivasi—communities that feel sidelined by the current administration.
Local SP worker Shankar Singh, 45, who was present during the clash, told reporters he was shoved by a uniformed officer and that his colleagues were left bleeding on the pavement. “We were just chanting slogans when they started pushing us,” he said. Akhilesh’s visit aims to give a voice to such grievances.
Akhilesh will leave for Raebareli next week and is scheduled to meet Rahul Lodhi’s residence for a brief tea ceremony before launching the PDA Rath across the district. Meanwhile, the state government will convene a special committee on 22 September to review the incident and decide on the next steps.