Taking a jibe at the Yogi Government over recovery of PETN from Vidhan Bhawan, former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that the government claimed a powder used to polish furniture as ‘ plastic explosive’ merely to prevent the entry of former law makers and jouranalists in Vidhan Bhawan. “I am told that the powder recovered from Vidhan Sabha is used for polishing furniture. But the government claimed it to be PETN. This seems to be a well thought out strategy to keep former legislators and journalists away from Vidhan Bhawan premises,” Yadav said while addressing reporters in lucknow on Thursday.
On July 12, a white powder was found from the Assembly during a routine check and the police referring to a report from FSl, lucknow claimed it to be plastic explosive. later doubts were raised over the FSl claim and the government is yet to come clean on the issue. “The entire BJP had alleged during Assembly elections that police stations were being run by Samajwadi Party leaders. Who is running the police stations now IJ Why is crime increasing day by day. The Dial-100 has turned into a den of corruption while during the SP regime, it was awarded for its efficiency,” Yadav said.
Thee SP chief also attacked the Yogi Government for targeting SP leaders and workers and implicating them in murder and rape cases just to grab posts of district panchayat presidents, block presidents or panchayat members.
“The police is charging these youths leaders in heinous crimes for political reasons. Soon these leaders would approach the Governor with complaint of police harassment due to vested political interest,” the Yadav said. Commenting on the BJP’s claim of freeing several thousand acres of land from land mafia in the last four months, the former CM said: “It is surprising that BJP was claiming about freeing of land but did not mention the name of a single land mafia who has been sent to jail.” Without taking the name of fromer MlC Bukkal Nawab, Yadav said that earlier an SP MlC was called a land grabber but once he joined the BJP it seemed that he suddenly became a pious saint. Yadav also announced that he would attend the Mahagathbandan rally to be organised by RJD chief lalu Prasad in Patna on August 27 but refused to come clean on Opposition unity in UP. He also did not clarify whether Opposition parties would field joint candidates for lok Sabha by-elections following the resignation of Yogi Adityanath and Keshav Prasad Maurya.
The SP chief however attacked the BJP for avoiding direct elections and looking for back door entry into the UP legislature.
“The BJP which got a landslide victory in UP polls. Strangely, it is wary of going to polls in four months. Besides, why is a single BJP MlA not ready to give up his seat for the CM or other leaders,” he asked. Yadav was however critical of party MlCs, who resigned and joined the BJP. “These MlCs said that they took the decision as I was insulting Mulayam Singh Yadav. But did their joining the BJP pleased Netaji IJ” he sought to know.
When his attention was drawn towards removal of four of his confidantes from lohia Trust, Akhilesh chose to play safe and said: “Parivar aur party mein pyar bana rahe.” “I was even termed as Aurangzeb by the media during the dispute within the party. But now I am cautious and I don’t want to figure in another controversy,” he said. The former Chief Minister was, however, peeved over the act of Yogi Adityanath government for taking away three vehicles each from the security fleet of father Mulayam Singh Yadav and himself. “Strangely, I was given old Ambassador cars which were used in Mayawati’s security and had traversed 3 lakh kilometers. Our new vehicles were given to the BSP president. Now it is up to you to assess what is the political dynamics behind it,” Yadav said.