Govt calls CM picture with ‘riot accused’ misleading

GOVT calls CM picture with ‘riot accused’ misleading

A photograph of CM Akhilesh Yadav, allegedly along with the main accused of the recent Saharanpur violence Muharram Ali, has gone viral and snowballed into a controversy. The CM office said move was aimed at tarnishing govt’s image.

A photograph of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, allegedly along with the main accused of the recent Saharanpur violence Muharram Ali, has gone viral and snowballed into a controversy.

The chief minister office issued a clarification on the issue on Saturday, saying: “Some people with malaise and an intention to mislead people and tarnish the image of the government were circulating the picture.”

It was rumoured to have been shot on April 1 at Akhilsh Yadav’s official residence at 5, Kalidas Marg and was extracted from the social networking site of a Samajwadi Party leader. The picture has Akhilesh Yadav surrounded by nearly a dozen persons and Muharram is framed on the extreme left of the picture, standing several feet away from Akhilesh.

“The news related to the photo of the CM with an accused in the Saharanpur incident, along with other persons, is baseless and misleading,” says the press release from the CM’s office.

It further explains that the CM meets a number of people in a day. The press release goes on to say that other persons are also visible in the photo in which the CM is shown with the accused.

In such a situation, making a baseless comment on the basis of a photo is not indicative of healthy democratic traditions, the release adds. The statement also says the accused has already been arrested and legal proceedings are on against him. All those who were involved in disturbing the peace in Saharanpur will not be spared and the toughest of action has already been assured, the release says.

Under the circumstances, the news about the picture on certain television channels is misleading and baseless, the release by the government concludes.