After law and order front, Samajwadi Party government once again came in for sharp criticism for making frequent change of faces in the bureaucratic circle and even in the ministry instead of addressing the real cause behind deteriorating situation in the State.
Slamming the Akhilesh Yadav government for “failure on all fronts”, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) said just changing officials looking after law and order situation would serve no purpose till the chief minister was not clear in his intentions. “The chief minister’s intentions are not clear...he can change as many officials as he likes, it would not put the law and order situation back on tracks,” leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly and senior BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya said here on Wednesday. He was asked to comment on the transfer of Principal Secretary (Home) Deepak Singhal made on Tuesday night, within a fortnight after being appointed on the post. The BSP leader termed the reshuffle in ministers’ portfolios last night as “mere drama” to divert peoples’ attention from its failures.
leader of the Opposition in the legislative Council, Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who was also present, also attacked the government saying that it has failed to redress problems being faced by the people. “Cane farmers are facing immense problems. Why flood relief works, involving a budget of Rs 500 crore to Rs 600 crore started now when rains have startedIJ Where has Rs 50 crore meant for installing solar lights in lohia villages goneIJ” Siddiqui asked. The BSP leader alleged that about 90 per cent accused in law and order cases and crime against women belong to one caste and have direct links with a particular political party. Siddiqui also demanded dismissal of the Akhilesh Yadav government.
Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) also criticized governments for shifting officers just like pack of cards along with change of portfolios of the ministers. BJP State president,laxmi Kant Bajpai said that the Chief minister, who holds major portfolios, should also evaluate himself as he is “responsible” for problems in the department he heads. “Poor law and order, power crisis, non-payment of the dues of cane farmers and unemployment are the four major issues in the state. All these portfolios are with Akhilesh,” laxmi Kant Bajpai said. “Why the CM does not evaluate himselfIJ Akhilesh is responsible for the problems related to these departments and not his ministers,” Bajpai alleged.
Congress too term the transfer and change in portfolios just as an eye wash. ``Instead of drawing a policy and sending a clear message that no compromise would be made on law and order front, irrespective of the stature enjoyed by the accused, till then mere change of faces of bureaucrat would not solve the problem”, claimed chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, Satyadeo Tripathi, while reacting to frequent transfers. Tripathi, who was also a former home minister in the state government, claimed here on Wednesday afternoon that double standard adopted by the law enforcing agencies — one for Samajwadi Party leader and high-profile persons and other for poor and weaker person – is one of the major reason for poor law and order situation. Besides, posting corrupt and person belonging to a particular caste at prime positions is also affecting the policing, he claimed.
Two days before the budget session of UP Vidhan Sabha is scheduled to start, CM Akhilesh on Tuesday night sacked a junior minister and changed the portfolios of 16 ministers including nine of cabinet rank in a major reshuffle of his council of ministers. Besides, he also shunted out principal secetary,home, Deepak Singhal, appointed just a fortnight back