Defending his Government’s decision Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that suspension of SDM, Gautambudh Nagar Durga Shakti Nagpal was not linked with sand mining but was a pure administrative decision taken with an intent to avert communal disturbance.
''The state government supported the IAS officer when she took action against sand mafias of that area but demolishing the boundary wall of a mosque has certainly hit the sentiments of the people and it could have triggered communal disturbances in the state,'' Yadav told reporters after cabinet meeting held here on Thursday.
He said the poor Muslims of that village had built that mosque by collecting money through chanda and when the SDM took the decision to demolish wall of the mosque without permission of her seniors it created trouble. Meanwhile, report of District Magistrate of Gautambudh Nagar exposed CM’s claims as he said that the SDM had gone there and she told villagers either to demolish the wall herself or police will do the same as it was constructed illegally. The villagers themselves demolished the wall, the DM said.
CM, however, did not comment on the DM’s report but said: "We have different agencies like lIU to collect informations about ground reality." ''Both the officers and the state government are equally responsible for maintaining communal harmony in the state and any irresponsible act by any officer would not be tolerated,'' he said and added: ''The government has taken the decision to suspend the officer after considering all the options.''
Yadav also hit out at opposition particularly BSP and said: "The opposition parties are raking up the issue and trying to teach us lessons in honesty. Where was their honesty when they were in power," he asked. The CM also charged the IAS Association of trying to politicise the issue by opposing suspension of SDM. "This is the same association which was dead during last regime. It dd not raise a voice when a senior IAS officer died. Our government revived IAS Association because we believe in democracy," he said.