Oppn blames BJP ‘jungle raj’ in UP for mob violence

LUCKNOW: Opposition parties blamed the Uttar Pradesh government for the violence in Bulandshahr on Monday that left two people dead.

Demanding chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s resignation, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress criticised him for campaigning in poll-bound states rather than reviewing the law and order in his own state.

“Adityanath should resign on moral grounds. Who is responsible for the ‘goonda raj’ in the state? Law and order situation in UP is in shambles,” said state Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh. SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said that when UP was burning, the chief minister was busy seeking votes for his party in other poll-bound states. “People of groups connected with the BJP have been accused in the case,” senior SP leader Azam Khan said and added that the SIT must not cave under political pressure and carry out its investigation in a fair manner. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati blamed the BJP and said the violence was the result of wrong policies of the BJP government. She said the violence in a district so close to Delhi was proof of the BJP’s ‘jungle raj’ (lawlessness) in UP. Om Prakash Rajbhar, a minister in the Adityanath government, blamed right wing groups for the violence and said “there was a conspiracy to fan communal violence for poll gains.” “The officers’ statements and videos are proof of the involvement of BJP, VHP and Bajrang Dal in the violence,” Rajbhar told a news channel in Delhi.

The BJP rejected the charges and pointed out the chief minister had already ordered an inquiry and promised all guilty person would be punished. .