Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday, 15 May launched a sharp attack on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav, alleging that the Opposition is actively working against India's self-reliance agenda under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His remarks came in Lucknow in response to a cartoon post shared by Yadav on social media platform X, mocking Modi's appeal to citizens to conserve fuel.

The Trigger: Fuel Price Hike and the SP's Jab

On Friday, petrol and diesel prices rose by ₹3 per litre nationwide — the first such revision in a prolonged period, attributed by the government to surging global crude oil prices amid the ongoing West Asia conflict. Yadav's cartoon post on X drew an immediate rebuttal from Maurya, who told reporters that leaders 'removed from power by the citizens' had no standing to criticise the Centre's fuel management.

Maurya defended the hike, saying: 'Excise duty was not increased till now. Today, the entire country can understand that the current hike in petrol and diesel prices could not have been controlled because the nation's monetary reserves cannot be dried up.'

He further argued that compared to other countries, where fuel prices have risen sharply due to the same global pressures, India's ₹3 per litre increase is 'reasonably low.' 'People are not disappointed with this, but those indulging in politics definitely are,' he asserted.

Opposition Targeted Over 'Appeasement Politics'

Maurya broadened his attack beyond the fuel debate, targeting both the Congress and the SP over what he called 'Muslim appeasement politics.' Responding to questions on the Karnataka government's decision to withdraw the 2022 hijab ban order, he said the Congress is 'digging its own grave.'

He alleged: 'All those who indulged in politics of Muslim appeasement, like in West Bengal, have been removed from power. In Assam and Bihar, BJP-led NDA has again formed governments. (AAP chief) Arvind Kejriwal, too, was bid adieu from Delhi for his appeasement politics.'

Maurya predicted that both the SP and Congress would lose their political future — in Uttar Pradesh and nationally — before India achieves its 'Viksit Bharat' target by 2047.

On the NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Row

Addressing the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, Maurya said the government is committed to ensuring such incidents are never repeated and will take 'appropriate and strict measures.' He advised students not to be misled and to prepare for the rescheduled examination, now set for 21 June.

Political Context

This comes amid a broader BJP offensive against the Opposition ahead of state-level political cycles. Notably, the fuel price hike — the first in a long stretch — hands the Opposition a ready-made campaign issue, and the government's pre-emptive messaging through state leaders like Maurya signals awareness of that vulnerability. The SP's use of satirical X posts to amplify the issue reflects a growing trend of social media-first political communication among opposition parties.