LUCKNOW: Citing the Supreme Court’s observation that “one particular accused is being given benefit” in the police probe into Lakhimpur violence, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday lambasted the BJP for such never-before scathing attacks on UP’s law and order situation from the apex court.
“Supreme Court keh raha hai ki Lakhimpur mein bachane ki koshish ho rahi hai (Supreme Court has observed that attempts are being made to save accused in Lakhimpur case),” Akhilesh said citing media reports and added that earlier too the country’s top court had pointed fingers at the law and order situation in the state on several occasions. “The high court as well has also raised fingers at the law and order in the state,” Akhilesh said at the party headquarters in Lucknow. He said the situation had never been so bad earlier.
The SP chief attacked CM Yogi Adityanath for his remarks that previous UP governments indulged in criminal politics. “Now look who is talking about governments being involved in criminal politics ... which UP chief minister had been booked for heinous offences … someone should at least list out the Indian Penal Code sections that were included in the criminal cases against him,” Akhilesh said. The UP CM should list the charges that he was accused of in the criminal cases against him which he has withdrawn,” he said.
Akhilesh said now that the Supreme Court’s observations in the Lakhimpur incident have not only questioned the quality of investigation into the case but should also be seen as the stark reality of the situation prevailing in the state. “What is the Supreme Court saying? Why are questions being raised on the Special Investigating Team probing the case?” he said, adding that the SC’s suggestion that the case should be monitored by an ex-judge from another state, should be seen as a sad commentary on the state of affairs in UP. “Who is the government trying to save? The SIT has been assigned the responsibility of saving them ?” he asked.
He also accused the BJP of maintaining a well-oiled machine to churn out ‘propaganda based on falsehood’. He said: “Ek jhoot bola jata hai upar se, wohi jhoot chalta hai neeche tak (A lie is floating from the top and the same lie seeps down to the bottom)” he said, adding: “They (BJP) are masters in propaganda.”
Asked about the government’s plans to inaugurate the Kanpur Metro, Akhilesh said it was yet another project whose foundation was laid by him and the then BJP MP was also present on stage with him. He said the BJP government should name one project it had conceived, laid foundation of and completed during its 4.5 years stint. He said the BJP should celebrate the birthday of Khanjanchi – the boy who was born (on November 9, 2016) while his mother was standing in a queue outside a bank to exchange currency following demonetisation. Akhilesh also celebrated Khanjanchi’s birthday at the party office on Tuesday.
He said the government should come out with white paper on black money unearthed because of demonetisation.
