Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's decision to bring in an ordinance to regulate the functioning of private universities in Uttar Pradesh will lead to the closure of private varsities in the state.

He said that by bringing in the ordinance, the chief minister is planning to impose restrictions which will force people to not open private universities in Uttar Pradesh. The Samajwadi chief said, on one hand, Yogi Adityanath is asking people to invest in the state and then he is making things tougher for them by bringing in this ordinance. Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the state government is not interested in opening new universities and its main aim is to shut down all private universities in Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress also launched a scathing attack on Uttar Pradesh government and said that free speech has often been labelled as "anti-national" and Indians have suffered for it. The party posted a tweet saying that Uttar Pradesh government must define exactly what they mean by "anti-national activities" and allow the universities to remain a space where students feel free and secure.

The draft of the proposed ordinance, which has been approved by the state cabinet, says that all private universities in Uttar Pradesh will have to give an undertaking that no "anti-national activity" will be allowed on their campuses. The draft of the new ordinance also requires the new universities to abide by the promise they had made during their foundation as per the law - to "preserve the secular, democratic fabric and aspire for universal brotherhood and tolerance".

The proposed ordinance will be presented in the state Assembly in the session beginning from July 18. Once approved by state Assembly, all private universities in Uttar Pradesh, including the 27 existing ones, would come under this common law.