Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav Visits Injured BJP MLA Anupama Jaiswal in Hospital

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday visited a hospital in Lucknow to enquire about the health of BJP MLA Anupama Jaiswal who sustained burn injuries during a protest in Bahraich earlier this week.

Jaiswal was admitted to Medanta Hospital after she was injured while setting fire to an effigy of the SP chief during a demonstration. The incident occurred during a protest held in support of the Centre's 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam'.

Yadav met the MLA and her family members at the hospital and enquired about her condition.

Later, sharing a post on social media platform X, Yadav said, "We do not want flames of discord in society, but harmony and goodwill. Our positive political tradition has taught us this.

"That is why we visited BJP MLA Anupama Jaiswal and wished her a speedy recovery. Politics has its place, but human relationships are equally important. Harmony must prevail."

Jaiswal's husband Ashok Jaiswal described the visit as a gesture of "human sensitivity and democratic courtesy".

Speaking to PTI, he said that despite being occupied with election campaigning in West Bengal, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had spoken to the injured MLA and issued necessary instructions for her treatment.

He added that several BJP leaders, including state president Pankaj Chaudhary, Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana and Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, were in touch with the family and had visited the hospital.

Ashok Jaiswal said political differences were a natural part of democracy, but personal concern and humanitarian values were above such differences. He expressed gratitude to Yadav for his visit.

According to doctors, the MLA is undergoing treatment in the ICU isolation ward under the supervision of Dr Nikhil Puri, Director of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery at the hospital.

He said Jaiswal has suffered significant burn injuries, with around 75 per cent of her face affected. Parts of her ear and forehead have sustained about 60 per cent burns, while injuries have also been reported on her eyebrows, nose, lips and eyes, with one eye partially affected.

Doctors said that in burn cases, the full extent of injuries may take 48 to 72 hours to manifest, and the severity of her condition is being assessed accordingly.

The incident took place on Saturday during a BJP-led "Mahila Janakrosh March" in Bahraich, when effigies of Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were being burnt. Eyewitnesses said flames suddenly flared up, apparently like a blast, and engulfed the MLA's face while she was setting the effigy on fire. She was initially taken to a district hospital and later referred to Lucknow for advanced treatment.