UP govt imposes ESMA for six months, Akhilesh criticises move

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) for the next six months, effectively banning strikes by employees in the state during this period.

The decision has sparked a sharp reaction from Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, who criticised the BJP-led government, calling the move a sign of worsening conditions in the state.

Taking to social media platform X, the former Chief Minister accused the BJP government of mismanagement. “Enforcing ESMA indicates that the situation in Uttar Pradesh is deteriorating. The BJP knows how to manipulate and form governments through dubious means, but running a government efficiently is beyond its capabilities,” he wrote. Yadav further claimed that the government is suppressing its employees out of fear of growing dissatisfaction among them.

“The govt knows that a dormant volcano of discontent among employees and officials could erupt anytime. That’s why it is imposing restrictions on its own workforce,” he remarked.

The SP chief also alleged that employees across various government and semi-government institutions in Uttar Pradesh and across the country are facing hardships due to poor policies. “There is growing discontent among them, which could potentially lead to strikes. To prevent such a scenario, the government has imposed ESMA,” he added. The UP government’s decision to impose ESMA highlights the administration’s concerns about possible disruptions in essential services due to strikes.