Now, Magsaysay awardee deplores ‘state vengeance’

Failing to get an appointment with UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Magsaysay awardee Sandeep Pandey on Thursday wrote an open letter to him stating the “vengeance” with which the state govt was acting against protesting activists is condemnable and called for “more maturity and restraint”.

Pandey, an academic and a social activist, has alleged in his letter “anarchist elements” were responsible for violence though action is being taken against people who have adopted peaceful means of protests and have faith in the country's Constitution.

“If you (CM) will send social activists, who have faith in the Constitution, to jail because your police in unable to identify the anarchist elements, then peaceful means of expressing dissent against the government in a democracy will be eliminated and anarchist elements will easily be able to mislead the common people,” he said.

He said in FIRs filed over violence during protests in Lucknow, most accused are Muslims. “If there will be a bias against Muslims in taking action, then how can they be expected to have confidence in the government-administration?” he asked.

The letter claims Pandey had on Dec 21 sought an appointment with CM but didn’t get a reply, due to which he is writing the open letter to make some comments on the approach of UP govt and administration on protests against CAA and NRC in UP. “The vengeance with which the UP govt-administration is acting in response to the violence by anarchist elements which took place during protests is condemnable as more maturity and restraint is expected of any government-administration," Pandey said.

Meanwhile, JD-U leader and poll strategist Prashant Kishor took a swipe at PM Modi for his remarks that “no discussion over NRC” has taken place, saying it was a “tactical retreat” in the face of nationwide protests against CAA and NRC.