Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday (June 24, 2026) alleged that the deaths in the recent Aliganj coaching centre fire accident in Lucknow could have been prevented if authorities had enforced safety norms and responded promptly to emergency calls.

He also raised questions over allegations regarding missing donations and offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Mr. Yadav described the Ram Temple issue as “very sensitive” and said questions had been raised over religious traditions.

“This is a grave sin and faith has been tampered with. The offerings belonged to the entire State and country, and contributions had come from the international level as well. Questions have been raised over our Sanatani traditions. This is a very sensitive issue,” he said.

Failure of govt.

Turning to the Aliganj fire tragedy that claimed 15 lives, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said the incident was not a routine accident and reflected failures on the part of the government.

“If the police, administration and government had ensured compliance with safety norms in time, most of the children and others who lost their lives there could have been saved,” he said.

Mr. Yadav alleged that authorities had failed to learn lessons from previous fire incidents in Lucknow and elsewhere in the State. “This was not an ordinary accident. Had the government acted earlier, many lives could have been saved,” he said.

Claiming that emergency response systems had deteriorated, he said people trapped inside the building continued calling for help. “We have heard that people kept calling. At first, the calls were not answered and even when they were answered, they were told that help could not reach immediately,” he said.

Many died of suffocation

Mr. Yadav also questioned the adequacy of rescue equipment and suggested that more lives could have been saved through quicker intervention. “If the wall had been cut through from the roof in time, perhaps many children could have been saved,” he said, adding that reports suggested many victims died due to suffocation rather than burns.

Enhance ex-gratia to kin

Expressing sympathy for the victims’ families, the SP leader reiterated his demand for enhanced compensation. “There is no grief greater than losing one’s child. No sorrow is bigger than that,” he said.

The former Chief Minister urged the government to provide long-term support to survivors and victims’ families.

“If the government can provide jobs to family members of those who died, it should do so. Otherwise, it should provide assistance of ₹1 crore to each affected family,” he said.