When govt proposes, UP mantris oppose

Ministers and legislators in the Samajwadi Party seem to be working at cross purposes with their own government.

While the state government is determined to free the major cities and towns form encroachment and is working on directives form the Allahabad high court on the issue, its min- isters and legislators are trying to stall the same for political gains.

UP minister Vinod Singh, aka, Pandit Singh, on Friday clashed with the district magistrate of Gonda, Dr Roshan Jacob, who was overseeing an anti- encroachment drive in the district.

“I will commit suicide by hanging myself if you continue with this operation. I will not allow the poor peo-

UP minister Vinod Singh clashed with the Gonda DM who was overseeing an anti- encroachment drive in the district

ple to be victimised like this,” he thundered before the official in full public view. The district magis- trate later told reporters in Gonda that the drive was being carried out on the instructions of the high court. “There is no question of discrimination in the drive and anyone who has encroached on public land, is being cleared up,” she said. The minister, however, defended himself and said that “innocent” people were being targeted in the encroachment drive and he would not tolerate this. Vinod Singh, it may be recalled, had resigned form his ministerial position in October last year after he reportedly abducted and then threatened the chief medical official with dire consequences if the latter did not include his men in the list of ad hoc doctors. The chief minister had then bowed to intense media pressure and had asked Singh to step down.