Scores of Indians Rally in Uttar Pradesh Despite Pandemic Concerns – Video

While India struggled to deal with the second wave of COVID in April and May, and with the expected third wave looming large, the federal government is coming under increasingly heavy fire.

A day after the federal government urged the public and state governments to consider restrictions or lockdowns to prevent large gatherings, former State Chief of India's Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday led a bicycle rally in the state capital city of Lucknow, drawing hundreds of his supporters who flouted COVID rules. 

Yadav now represents Uttar Pradesh's main opposition – the Samajwadi Party.  

The rally was a protest against the federal government raising fuel prices, and issues including high unemployment, the passing of controversial farm laws, and the soaring crime rate in the state. Demonstrators cycled a total of 6.5 km - they were criticised for ignoring COVID safety protocols, not wearing masks, and floating social distancing. 

यूपी का ये जनादेश
आ रहे हैं @yadavakhilesh#समाजवादी_साइकिल_यात्रा pic.twitter.com/xTsY3RMKUw

— कुँवर ऋषि प्रताप सिंह यादव (@Rishiydvsp) August 5, 2021

समाजवादी पार्टी की साइकल यात्रा शुरू @yadavakhilesh @samajwadiparty #BicycleYatra pic.twitter.com/64sowUM53M

Official Twitter handle of Samajwadi Party also tweeted a photographs with the solgan: "Samajwadi Party this time have blessing of old people and support of youth."  

"नई हवा है, नई सपा है
बुजुर्गों का हाथ, युवा का साथ"

जनेश्वर मिश्र जी की जयंती के अवसर पर माननीय राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष जी ने लखनऊ पार्टी कार्यालय से जनेश्वर मिश्र पार्क तक के लिए आरंभ की साइकिल यात्रा। pic.twitter.com/mG2lNscr48

​Elections to determine the BJP-ruled legislative assembly of the country's most populous state will be held early in 2022. 

On Wednesday, the federal government said that the pandemic is still "raging" in the country, while the R factor in many states is on the rise. "The Delta variant is a dominant problem. The pandemic is still raging, and the second wave is persisting in our own country," Dr. V.K. Paul, who heads the Narendra Modi government's COVID task force, said. 

The R factor or reproductive rate of the virus is the measure used worldwide to track the spread of COVID. "Whenever R number is above one, it means that the case trajectory is increasing and it needs to be controlled," said Dr Paul.

The R factor in countries including the US, Canada, Australia, and India is 1.2 on average. This means that each COVID patient infects just over one person. 

Earlier this year in March and April, after elections in four states – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and West Bengal – India witnessed a surge in COVID cases. Despite several warnings from health experts and international NGOs, the federal and state governments took limited action.  

In the last 24 hours, India has reported 42,982 fresh COVID cases, with this country's total tally rising to 31.8 million, according to data from the federal Health Ministry. The death toll has climbed to 426,290 with 533 fatalities reported on Wednesday.