Two ministers take opposite stand on Rae Bareli killings

The killing of five persons belonging to Brahmin community in Etaura Bujurg village in Rae Bareli has led to a standoff between two senior ministers -Swami Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak.

Reacting over the killing, labour and employment minister Maurya, who belongs to Dalmau region of Rae Bareli, had said the five deceased had criminal record and terrorised the locals.

The killing was the result of the rivalry between two gangs, he had said.

Condemning the killing, law minister Brijesh Pathak on Sunday, however, said, “Members of the Brahmin community were killed in a brutal manner and people who are trying to protect the killers should be condemned.” Demanding strict action against the perpetrators, Pathak said the state government would not tolerate such heinous crime.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered action against the killers and announced financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each to the family members of the deceased.

He directed IG (Lucknow Zone) to probe into the matter. Former minister and SP MLA from Unchahar assembly seat in Rae Bareli Manoj Pandey condemned the killing and said there should be no politics over the killing of five members of the Brahmin community.

A delegation of SP MLAs and prominent leaders belonging to Brahmin community had met Adityanath and handed over a memorandum demanding hike in financial aid and action against the killers.

On Tuesday, a statewide protest was organized by Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Vichar Manch against the killing.