When Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is facing flaks from all quarters for increase in crime rate in UP, his father and national president of Samajwadi Party Mulayam Singh Yadav said that had he been Chief Minister he would have improved the law and order within 15 days.
“Yes, I would have improved the law and order situation within 15 days. Why notIJ Even Akhilesh can do it,” Mulayam said in a Press conference held at party office here on Tuesday where Chief Minister was also present.
Akhilesh could only smile sheepishly as Mulayam continued with the mantra to improve law and order: “Hold district magistrates and SPs responsible for law and order in the district. If anything goes wrong punish them. Even send them to jail. This message should go down the line that Government means business.”
With this statement Mulayam inadvertently gave ammunition to Opposition parties to hit back at Chief Minister. BJP Chief Spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak did not miss this opportunity to criticise Government when he questioned as why Mulayam does not take the reign of the State and improve law and order instead of hogging limelight with his statements.
The Press conference of Mulayam was about announcement of a bureaucrat Tapen Prasad joining the Samajwadi Party but the issue took a political turn when Mulayam said that everyone talks about development of Gujarat whereas UP has done much more than Gujarat.
“This Government has fulfilled all the promises it had made during election. We have introduced Kanya Vidyadhan and scholarship schemes for the Muslim girls. loans of farmers have been waived of and they are being given free water for irrigation,” he said and asked: “Has any State done so much in such a short timeIJ”
“Yes, some development has taken place in Bihar. Roads have been constructed and law and order situation in that State has improved. We can achieve same within 15 days,” Mulayam said looking at his son.
When his attention was drawn towards allegation that Akhilesh was not given free hand to do work, the SP president shot back: “You suggest I interfere with his working. I have never done so. I have not advised him anything for the last 15 days.” “I have right to do so as the CM is my son and I am the president of the party,” he said. Yadav, however, parried questions on national politics — including SP’s stand on Food Security Bill.
When asked about his reaction on CIC’s decision to include political parties under RTI ambit he said:” Ask this question to Akhilesh. He is Chief Minister.”