Amid rising tensions between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the ruling BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, the Jayaprakash Narayan Interpretation Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow remains abandoned and in disrepair. The museum, dedicated to socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan, has turned into a symbol of neglect, mired in political wrangling.
The centre, once a pet project of the SP government, came into the spotlight as SP leaders clashed with the UP Police on Thursday. The leaders were stopped while attempting to garland a statue of Narayan on his birth anniversary.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned the police action, calling it “an attack on democracy” and accusing the BJP of “dirty politics.” In response, the BJP labeled the SP’s protest as “childish.”
Construction on the JPNIC began in 2012 under the SP government and was envisioned as a world-class cultural and convention hub. Built along the banks of the Gomti River at a cost of over Rs 860 crore, the centre was meant to house a luxury hotel, convention facilities, sports amenities, and a museum dedicated to Narayan’s life.
However, the project stalled in 2017 when Yogi Adityanath’s BJP government launched an inquiry into alleged irregularities, leaving the facility unfinished.
Since then, the JPNIC has fallen into disuse. Weeds now overrun its expensive tiles, and the once-promising structure has become a gathering place for drug addicts. Locals lament the decay, with one resident stating, “What was meant to honor Narayan has become a casualty of political rivalry.”
The SP accuses the BJP of deliberately neglecting the centre, claiming it plans to sell it to a private company. “The BJP doesn’t want people to understand socialism, which is why they are keeping this centre in ruins,” an SP spokesperson argued. Despite the accusations and political drama, the fate of the JPNIC remains uncertain as it continues to lie in ruin, with its future clouded by political infighting.