A war of words erupted between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP after the latter alleged that “land-grabbers” involved in the violent incident in Mathura had “links” with the ruling SP in UP.
A war of words erupted between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP after the latter alleged that “land-grabbers” involved in the violent incident in Mathura had “links” with the ruling SP in UP. SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav hit back, asking the BJP to either prove the charges or apologise. The BJP also demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
Launching a scathing attack on the SP government, the BJP claimed that the Mathura clash was an example of “goonda raj” and the state was witnessing an “unprecedented” number of attacks on the police by criminals enjoying the ruling party’s “patronage”. BJP chief Amit Shah had recently said that the SP will be his party’s “main rival” during the Assembly elections scheduled early next year. BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma, who was asked by Mr Shah to take stock of the situation in Mathura, alleged that the policemen were ill-prepared to control the mob as “they were under pressure from the administration to go easy as the land-grabbers had links” with the ruling party. He also said that the killing of policemen was the “height of anarchy”.
“The ruling party first had over 280 acres of land captured by these criminals. The main conspirator in the case has full protection of the SP. Policemen were sent to the spot with their hands tied and this is why two of them died. The BJP seeks a judicial probe... This state government has become a blot and people will wipe it away during the polls for the state Assembly next year,” Mr Sharma said. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the incident was “a living example of the image of “goonda raj” in UP that the SP built over the years.
“If the DGP and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav cannot protect police officers, can they be expected to protect common citizens Should Akhilesh Yadav not take moral responsibility for what has happened,” Mr Patra said.
Posing questions to the state government, the BJP leader wondered if it was possible for the main accused to illegally capture the land in the city without patronage from the ruling party. He also asked as to how cops were allowed to go to the spot without due preparation and intelligence inputs as it has come to light that the encroachers were heavily armed and had taken position over trees to shoot at cops. He then cited a host of incidents, including in Azamgarh, Tunda, Bareilly and Badaun, where cops were attacked by criminals.
