'Jiska daana, uska gaana': Akhilesh Yadav attacks govt over shutdown of folk singer Neha Singh Rathore's YouTube channel

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Central government following the reported shutdown of a popular YouTube channel.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yadav claimed the shutdown was intended to shield mainstream news channels, which, according to him, have been rejected by the public and maintain close ties with the government. He accused the Centre of favouring these channels under the principle of “Jiska daana, uska gaana.”
"The real reason behind shutting down a popular YouTube channel or filing an FIR against a folk singer is to save the big news channels that the audience has rejected and has an umbilical connection with the government, whose economic principle is: 'Jiska daana, uska gaana'. The lies of these Jumlaai channels are now being seen only by those who have not yet understood that they have been continuously fooled and kept in the dark by exploiting their emotions. These are the so-called big news channels that serve a daily dose of stupidity," the post read.
Yadav went on to accuse the BJP of trying to suppress dissent and alternative voices, stating that the party's real face had been exposed as a result of these restrictions. He added that the BJP’s support system — media houses aligned with the government — was now crumbling.
"The best thing that has happened due to such restrictions is that the face of the scared BJP has been exposed in front of the common people. The BJP was standing based on lies, and those sinking channels that became the loudspeakers of the government are in a state of panic. Some are going from here to there, some are coming from there to here, sides are changing among themselves, but these government-supported news channels are not able to get viewers," the post further read.
The SP chief described the government’s action as a futile attempt to protect what he termed “morally and materially dying ‘dumb media’.”
"Overall, shutting down popular YouTube channels or filing FIRs is a futile attempt to save the morally and materially dying 'dumb media'. This attempt by the government is futile because the viewers of these self-funded, popular, small YouTube channels, which represent the public's perspective and effectively raise awareness, are mentally alert and conscious; they will never become viewers of 'jumlaai TV channels'. On the other hand, when there is a mobile in every hand, can the government impose restrictions on crores of people in this highly active era of EUR citizen journalism? One day or another, the rulers will have to face an angry public," he said.
Calling for collective action, Yadav urged citizens to raise their voices in defence of democratic rights and freedom of speech.
"This is the time to raise true voices. True history is a testament to the fact that the unity of revolutionary pens and conscious artists has saved history from becoming negative. Let us unite and save the freedom of the country, democracy and the constitution, which gives freedom of expression, along with freedom of expression," the post further read.