Protesting against deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh following the gruesome murder of a trader’s son in Meerut, BJP national president Amit Shah called off the much-hyped four-kilometre long padyatra at the last minute on Friday. Shah’s padyatra was slated a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rally.
Addressing an impromptu public meeting, Shah slammed the SP Government over a spurt in crime, saying, “This is the real picture of UP where no one is safe. Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, who have joined hands, should speak about the failing law and order in UP. Both “shahzade” (princes) failed to do anything and they are claiming to make UP number 1.”
After a brief speech, Shah initiated a 2-minute silence on the death of a city trader’s son Abhishek Verma, who was gunned down in a shootout on Thursday night.
“It is a matter of grave concern and sadness that a young man’s life was shortened by the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. I am wondering what his mother must be going through. We condole the family of the deceased and call of the padyatra right now”, said Shah.
“The morale of criminals is so high in the State, even police personnel are not safe let alone the common man. The way incidents of crime against the common man have risen under the Akhilesh Yadav Government, an atmosphere of fear and terror prevails in the State.
“BJP will fight for the issue of law and order in the streets of Uttar Pradesh and Parliament as well. Restoring the law and order and sending criminals behind bars will be our priority after a BJP Government is formed,” he tweeted later.
The BJP chief said that the goons of the SP have been unleashing terror among people. “There are reports of 24 rapes and 13 murders every day in UP. Today, we have decided to call off our padyatra in honour of Abhishek. But we should go to the people and tell them what this murder actually means. This means - we are no longer safe in UP,” he said.
Shah pointed out that on one hand, there is a party involved in scams worth Rs 12-lakh crore, on the other, there is a Government that failed to protect the common man.
The BJP leader cited figures to say that there was 161 per cent increase in incidents of rape. “Over 200 incidents of communal riots have been reported in last five years but the Akhilesh Yadav Government failed to take preventive steps,” charged the BJP chief.
Reiterating his party’s commitment to making UP ‘goonda mukt pradesh’ (criminal-free State), Shah said that it was unfortunate that a youth was killed and several others were injured in Meerut but Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav seemed least bothered by the killings.
Abhishek (24) was killed on Thursday night when he was with his father Sushil Verma, who owns a gutka business, and three workers working in his godown near his house at Sharda road in Brahmpuri area.
Five armed men barged into the godown while two of their accomplices stood outside. The attackers looted the godown at gun point. When Verma and his son resisted their attempt to flee, the gang members opened fire following which Abhishek died on the spot.
Verma and three others were injured and were later admitted to hospital.