Crime in UP: CM raises Hathras in Assembly, tries to put SP in dock

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday sought to turn the tables on the SP over law and order in his state, asking why the word Samajwadi gets tagged to every criminal .

Speaking in the state assembly, Adityanath referred to the Hathras incident in which a man out on bail after his 2018 arrest in a molestation case allegedly shot dead the victim's father.

The state Bharatiya Janata Party has been pointing at a Facebook account, which it claims indicates that the accused is a Samajwadi Party worker.

"Why is it that the 'Samajwadi' name gets dragged into every incident of crime? Adityanath said.

He said the "Samajwadi" (socialist) movement, which produced great personalities like Ram Manohar Lohia and Chandrashekhar, has now become impractical, but its leaders are not ready to accept the truth.

He asked about the topiwala who has figured on social media, in an apparent reference to the man in a cap who the BJP says is the SP worker accused in the Hathras case. The Hathras incident

has yesterday once again put the 'topiwala' in the dock, the chief minister said, in an indirect reference to the red caps SP workers and leaders wear.

Has the Samajwadi Party no link with the criminal as far as the unfortunate incident of Hathras is concerned? Why is it that the word 'Samajwadi' is associated with every criminal? he said. Indirectly, he also referred to the purported SP worker canvassing support for a party rally. What does this prove?" the CM asked.

"You have made the socialist movement an 'aswabhaavik' (unnatural), 'avyavhaarik' (impractical) and 'amaanviye' (inhuman) movement. Hence, people are talking different things about it, he said, accusing the opposition party leaders of lacking the courage to accept the reality.

Adityanath's remarks came after a 50-year-old man was allegedly shot dead in Hathras district on Monday by Gaurav Sharma, who is accused of molesting the victim's daughter.