|
Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh hit out at the BJP government after a journalist of a news channel, Sulabh Srivastava, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Pratapgarh on Sunday night.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dashed off a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath demanding a CBI enquiry into the incident and stringent action against the notorious liquor mafia in the state. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati also demanded strict action against the culprits in the case on Tuesday.
Sharing a copy of a letter sent to Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday, Priyanka tweeted, “The tragic incident that happened with journalist Sulabh Srivastava in Pratapgarh (Uttar Pradesh) shows that the rule of law has come to an end. It is necessary that there should be a CBI inquiry into the matter, financial assistance to the family be given and a decisive blow to the nexus of liquor mafia and administration be dealt with.”
Samajwadi Party chief and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also raised questions on the law-and-order situation in the state. “The suspicious death of a TV journalist in an alleged accident in Pratapgarh is extremely sad. Heartfelt tribute! The BJP government should hold a high-level inquiry in this matter and tell the family and the public why security was not given to them even after the journalist expressed the possibility of murder at the hands of the liquor mafia,” Akhilesh said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, BSP chief Mayawati also demanded strict punishment against the guilty. “The terror of liquor mafia in UP is not hidden from anyone, who brutally murdered a TV journalist in Pratapgarh district by exposing them, which is very sad. The government should ensure strict punishment to the guilty by conducting a fair and credible inquiry into the incident, this is the demand of BSP,” the BSP chief said.
Television news journalist Sulabh Srivastava was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Pratapgarh district on Sunday. The deceased had earlier written to ADG Prayagraj, Prem Prakash two days back perceiving threat to his life and demanded security from the liquor mafia who he said were unhappy with his reporting.
Initially Pratapgarh police dismissed the journalist’s death as an accident, however on Monday, they registered a case of murder against unknown persons and started investigating the matter. Meanwhile, ADG Prayagraj, Prem Prakash claimed that a woman and a male constable were deployed in the security of the family of Sulabh Srivastava. He also assured that the demands of the family would be considered regarding the case and if the family wanted an SIT from a different district, then that would be done.
Pratapgarh DM Nitin Bansal said that a recommendation has been sent to the government for ex gratia for the family of the deceased journalist. “Taking serious note of the death of journalist Sulabh Srivastava in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Press Council of India chairman Justice Chandramouli Kumar Prasad has taken suo motu cognisance in the matter," the Council said in a statement in Hindi on Tuesday.
The Government of Uttar Pradesh, the director general of police and the superintendent of police, Pratapgarh, have been asked to send a report 'based on the facts in the matter,” the Council said.