Corporators condemn attack, demand security

Cutting across party lines, corporators of Lucknow Municipal Corporation condemned the attack on Swami Ramtirth ward corporator Atul Yadav alias Bantu on Sunday.

As the news of attack on Bantu spread, a number of corporators assembled at the KGMU trauma centre to wish him speedy recovery. LMC mayor Dinesh Sharma, who was going to Gujarat, cancelled his tour and rushed to the trauma centre. “He (Bantu) is just like a family member to me. I have cancelled my Gujarat visit after hearing about the attack. He is a real public servant. I wish him speedy recovery.”

Many corporators said that police and district administration should be blamed for the incident as they took no action even as they were aware about threat to Bantu’s life. “I demand the arrest of those who have attacked Bantu at the earliest,” Sharma said.

Leader of Congress party in LMC House Girish Mishra said corporators face daily threats from opponents. Like MLA’s who are provided security by the state government, corporators must be provided security, he said.

Sayyed Yawar Hussain Reshu, leader of opposition in LMC House said, “The corporators are elected representatives. They are the ones who face crowd daily. Security cover for each corporator is therefore required.”

Corporator Ramesh Kapoor Baba said the attack on the ruling party corporator shows deteriorating law and order situation in the state capital. “There have been more than 622 incidents of bashing of police by criminals in the state this year. The morale of police is at its lowest during the Samajwadi Party regime,” he said.