Akhilesh Yadav on Chidambaram’s Arrest: ‘Battle of Papers’ Must Be Fought

Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, reacting to the CBI’s arrest of former finance minister P Chidambaram in the INX Media case, said anyone wanting to stand up to the government must first win the fight on paper. He was speaking to the media in Firozabad.

‘Battle of papers’

“This is a battle of papers and it should be fought,” Yadav said. He argued that the government holds all the powers, with the police, the army and every department under its control, so it can only be challenged by those whose paperwork is strong.

The arrest

CBI officers took Chidambaram into custody at his home in Jor Bagh, New Delhi, on Wednesday night. The case concerns INX Media, in which favours worth Rs 305 crore were allegedly routed through shell companies. The CBI registered an FIR in May 2017, and the Enforcement Directorate filed a money laundering case in 2018.

Attack on the BJP government

Yadav also criticised the BJP over law and order and jobs. He alleged that police were filing false cases, that innocent people were being killed in encounters and that the BJP had turned Uttar Pradesh into “Hatya Pradesh”. He accused the party of hurting young people by setting age limits for jobs, and said work was increasingly being privatised and outsourced.

He said the BJP was skilled at diverting attention from real problems. Farmers were struggling with stray cattle, ordinary people were paying higher electricity tariffs, and the country faced a severe slowdown, with jobs being lost in sectors such as textiles and automobiles, he alleged.

See also: Samajwadi Party and political leaders.

Originally published on 22 August 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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