Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has welcomed the directives of the Allahabad High Court over the law and order issue in Kairana of Shamli district and has expressed concern over the free and fair elections in Uttar Pradesh till the tainted officials close to the ruling Samajwadi Party are shifted out from the important posts.
"We welcome the directive of the HC but it is unfortunate that Election Commission is not serious about officials who are close to the Saifai family or relatives of the candidate. They are still posted on important posts and can influence elections," BJP state general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.
BJP had been demanding removal of UP DGP Javeed Ahmed along with other officials who they alleged are working for the SP candidates. BJP had even submitted a memorandum to this effect to the EC.
Talking about the exodus and law and order issue in Kairana, Pathak said ," the directive of the HC vindicates the charges of the BJP on the UP government."
He said the state of affairs in UP is so bad that the HC has been forced to give orders even after EC had repeatedly said that they are committed for free and fair polls. But the HC directive also creates apprehension that the situation is not so good in Kairana and other places in the state and the state government has failed to perform its duty, BJP leader said.
Allahabad high court had directed UP DGP and state authorities to maintain law and order and facilitate registered voters to freely cast their votes in Kairana of Shamli district and other communally sensitive areas of western UP.