Akhilesh invokes Buddha’s legacy, flags ‘threat’ to Constitution, democracy

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday invoked the teachings of Gautama Buddha to underline his political message, asserting that nations which have reached the pinnacle of progress have followed the Buddha’s path, even as he warned of “continuous threats” to India’s Constitution and democratic values.

Speaking on the occasion of Buddha Purnima at the party office in Lucknow, Yadav said, “Among the knowledge people have imparted from time to time, the greatest contribution has been that of Lord Buddha… The nations that stand at the pinnacle today have followed the path shown by Lord Buddha. The message he delivered has brought about a change.”

Addressing an audience that included Buddhist monks, he struck a more political note, saying, “There are forces which are posing a continuous threat to the Constitution given by Babasaheb Ambedkar and to democracy. I am confident that the ‘Baudh bhikshus’ will bless us to be successful.”

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also outlined his party’s vision for developing key Buddhist sites in the state. He said places associated with Buddha — such as Sarnath and Kushinagar — would be further developed to connect followers of the Buddhist path and the “bahujan samaj” with the global community.

Taking aim at the current government, Yadav alleged that the ambitious Maitreya Project in Kushinagar had been stalled. “Some people did not want the Maitreya Project… If it had been completed, people from across the world would have come and pledged to follow the path of Lord Buddha. However, under the current government, that project has been left half-finished,” he said.

He also spoke about the Kushinagar International Airport, claiming that while it was initiated earlier, his government completed its construction. “We assure you that the international airport will be started and an international city will be built,” Yadav said, in a swipe at political opponents.

Blending spiritual homage with political critique, Yadav’s remarks sought to position the Buddha’s philosophy as both a moral compass and a framework for governance, while reiterating his party’s commitment to constitutional values and development of cultural heritage sites.

With PTI inputs