Will make mafia bite the dust, says Yogi Adityanath after murder of prime witness in BSP MLA murder case
Prayagraj incident triggers war of words between chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh in Uttar Pradesh assembly
Heated exchanges were witnessed between chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav in the state assembly on Saturday in the context of remarks over the killing of a lawyer Umesh Pal, a prime witness in the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case of 2005, and a gunner in Prayagraj on Friday.
A dozen men shot multiple rounds at Umesh Pal and his security personnel in Prayagraj on Friday.
Accusing the SP of nurturing criminals, Yogi Adityanath said, “Mitti mein mila denge (We will make the mafia bite the dust). Our zero tolerance policy towards criminals will surely show results and there should be no doubt about the same.”
Yogi made the remarks as Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of opposition in the state assembly, questioned the government’s zero tolerance policy while raising the Prayagraj incident in the House.
In his nearly 2 hour and 10 minute address, Yogi Adityanath attacked the Samajwadi Party for “bringing up and sheltering criminals” and holding protests during the governor’s address before the joint sitting of the two Houses on Monday (February 20).
The chief minister also referred to the fight within the SP earlier (Akhilesh Yadav versus Shivpal Yadav) and the SP leaders opposing a verse of the Ramcharitamanas, a Ramayan-based epic poem in Awadhi by the 16th century poet Goswami Tulsidas.
Yogi Adityanath, while alleging that SP had an anti-women stance, referred to party patriarch late Mulayam Singh Yadav’s remark “boys will be boys remarks, they make mistakes.”
The chief minister said the SP did not respect women and it was responsible for the June 2, 1995 state guesthouse incident (targeting Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati).
Akhilesh Yadav apparently objected to this and said it was shameful to make such observations for a leader who has been awarded Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) by the Centre.
Yogi soon retaliated, saying Akhilesh Yadav should be ashamed for not respecting his late father.
He said the SP raised the Ramcharitmanas issue when Uttar Pradesh teams were gearing up for the Global Investors Summit-2023 that attracted investment of ₹33.50 lakh crore. Instead of taking pride in the state’s achievements, the SP was disrespecting the society by raising such issues, the chief minister said.
Yogi Adityanath also made a light of recent normalcy in relations between Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav. He said the SP general secretary should make no compromise with his dignity.
Earlier, when Yogi was about to speak on the motion of thanks to the governor’s address at 11am, Akhilesh Yadav rose from his seat and referred to the Prayagraj murder.
“This incident took place in broad daylight in a metropolitan town like Allahabad, now Prayagraj, that is the seat of the High Court. They (criminals) opened fire and killed an eyewitness in a murder case. Two security persons have also been attacked (One of them has died). Where is the double engine government? What kind of zero tolerance towards criminals is this? Is it the zero tolerance towards the criminals” Was any film shoot taking place there?” Yadav asked.
Speaker Satish Mahana said the state government would give a reply to the issue raised by Akhilesh Yadav in the House.
Yogi Adityanath said the state government has taken note of the incident and its policy of zero tolerance towards criminals would surely show results.
“Who brought up these criminals? The mafia responsible for the Friday’s incident was out of Uttar Pradesh. The mafia has been elected MP and MLA with the SP’s support. Is it not true that the Samajwadi Party made them MLA? Is it not true that the Samajwadi Party made them MP. You bring up all the criminals, give them shelter, keep them with you like a necklace and then accuse the state government,” Yogi Adityanath.
Akhilesh Yadav said Yogi was not naming the BSP. At this, Yogi retorted and saying the family of the victim had named the politician Atiq Ahmed.
Police on Saturday registered an FIR against several people, including former MP Atiq Ahmed. The mafia-turned-politician is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail. Atiq was a SP MP from Phulpur parliamentary constituency (in Prayagraj). Police teams on Saturday carried out raids at different spots and detained 20 people for questioning. The suspects include Atiq Ahmad’s wife Shaista Parveen, his two sons, along with five of their aides.
Raju Pal was murdered in 2005, months after winning the Allahabad (West) assembly seat on his electoral debut by defeating Atiq Ahmad’s younger brother Khalid Azim.
“Is it not true that he was brought up by the Samajwadi Party. We will make this mafia bite the dust. (Hum mitti main mila denge),” the chief minister said in the assembly.
At this, the Samajwadi Party members came to the well of the House and began shouting anti-government slogans.
Yadav objected to Yogi’s “mitti mein mila denge” and said he should not have used such language. The speaker said there was nothing wrong with these remarks against criminals.
Later, at around 7pm, the speaker adjourned the assembly till 11am on Monday and invited all the MLAs to lunch on Sunday.
