Akhilesh dares Yogi to act against accused BJP men
LUCKNOW: Demanding a judicial probe into the attack on SSP Saharanpur residence, Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday sought arrest of the BJP leaders accused of inciting the mob.
Yadav said the attack was a premeditated conspiracy hatched by BJP Member of Parliament and MLA from the region to terrorise people and ensure communal polarisation.
“They (BJP leaders) ransacked the residence of the SSP Love Kumar, forcing his wife and children to take shelter in a cow shed. The incident demonstrates the ‘goondaism’ of the saffron brigade. The violence unleashed by the BJP leaders was just to gain political mileage and win elections,” said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
The clash between BJP supporters and others broke out in Dudiya village of Saharanpur on April 20, when the group was taking out an Ambedkar procession.
“We were accused of perpetrating ‘goondaraj’ when we were in power. But it is a virtual reign of terror now. What is happening now under BJP rule is unprecedented. Would the chief minister take action against his own party men now? It’s a litmus test for the government,” said Yadav.
The former CM was speaking to media persons after a fivemember team of SP led by former minister Mehboob Ali visited Saharanpur and submitted its report on the incident. The SP leaders were not allowed to visit the scene of incident by the Saharanpur administration.
He said lumpen elements in the BJP were unleashing a reign of terror and violence and the inaction of the government had demoralised the police force which was a dangerous trend for democracy.
Akhilesh said he knew SSP Saharanpur as an upright officer as he met him on several occasions when he was ADC to the UP governor.
“The rampaging mob led by BJP leaders smashed the CCTV cameras and destroyed the disk containing footage. Journalists and media persons covering the incident were also not spared and beaten up,” said Akhilesh. He recalled how the same media had gone after him in the aftermath of the much-hyped Budaun rape case. “TV channels blew the incident out of proportion and used my picture every time they reported on the issue. The media is not covering crime incidents taking place now in the same manner with the picture of CM Yogi Adityanath,” he said.
Terming the Chhattisgarh massacre of CRPF jawans by Maoists as unfortunate, Akhilesh said the central government should prepare a roadmap to end this menace and save innocent lives.