Arresting Prajapati will be BJP's UP govt first task: Shah

Ambedkarnagar: Ruing the ruling Uttar Pradesh government's failure to arrest its rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday listed sending the minister "behind bars" as one of its first tasks if it forms government in the state.

Addressing an election rally here, BJP chief Amit Shah said, "As soon as the BJP forms the government in UP on March 11, we would search (Gayatri Prasad) Prajapati even from the hell and send him to jail. (sic)"

Prajapati holds the transport department portfolio in Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's cabinet, but is facing arrest following a Supreme Court order to lodge an FIR against him for his alleged role in a rape case.

Shah also alleged that the rape-accused minister campaigned for the SP for nearly six days, and even exercised his voting rights on February 27.

"But, the police was not able to do anything. On the other hand, the CM appealed to Gayatri to surrender. The job of the police is to hold the criminal by the collar and send him behind bars," said Shah.

He added, "Akhilesh claims that 'kaam bolta hai' (actions speak). But, the reality is that UP tops in crime against women and here 'karnama bolta hai' (misdeeds speak)."

Shah also pointed out to the crowd that it was on the apex court's order that the FIR was lodged against Prajapati.

In reply to various parties ridiculing the PM's 'acchhe din' (good days) slogan, the BJP chief said, "Hear this loud and clear, UP's 'acchhe din' would begin from 1 pm on March 11 as soon as the BJP would form its government in UP."

He also told Akhilesh that one needs guts and spine to bring development to a state like Uttar Pradesh.

The BJP chief took a dig at the Congress-SP coalition in the state saying, "There are two princes in the state. One (Rahul Gandhi) is giving tough times to his mother and the other one (Akhilesh Yadav) to his father; and the entire state is having a tough time facing their antics."

Shah alleged that despite the Centre giving Rs one lakh crore to Uttar Pradesh every year, no developmental work has been initiated in the state and the money has conveniently been siphoned off by the uncle-nephew duo (alluding to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal).

Urging people to vote for the BJP, Shah said, "UP's development has been adversely hit by continuous misrule of SP and BSP. On the one hand you have Naseemuddin, Afzal Ansari and Mukhtar Ansari (of BSP), you have Azam Khan and Atiq Ahmed on the other.

“It is a classic case of UP caught between devil and deep sea. Only the BJP can extricate the state out of it and help people get rid of the goondaraj (rule by gangsters) of SP and BSP," he opined.

The BJP chief also reiterated that once the party forms the government in UP, "all the slaughter houses would be closed and streams of milk and ghee would flow across the state instead of those of blood."

He also said that all the youngsters would be given laptops irrespective of their religious affiliation.