?Fair poll a far cry under SP?

The RLD president Chaudhury Ajit Singh allege that the ruling Samajwadi Party has orchestrated communal strife in Gorakhpur.

The Rashtriya Lok Dal president Chaudhury Ajit Singh on Thursday alleged that the ruling Samajwadi Party had orchestrated communal strife in Gorakhpur. He said the law and order machinery had crumbled in the State.

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Speaking to newsmen in Lucknow, Singh said the Nithari killings, the alleged madarsa rape incident in Allahabad and the Gorakhpur riots amply demonstrated the state government’s inept handling of the situation in all the cases. He alleged that the State police had virtually become an instrument of creating lawlessness and corruption.

The RLD chief said Gorakhpur violence was also planned to create BJP’s terror in the minds of the Muslim community.

Singh, however, said that the SP would not succeed in its game plan to keep the minority community under its leash as the Gorakhpur clashes were not basically between two communities.

He said while both Hindu and Muslim masses had kept themselves away from the violence, some hoodlums supporting the BJP MP Yogi Adityanath had been creating problems. “It would not benefit chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav politically,” Singh commented.

Pointing out that the State had witnessed several riots during the last three years, Singh said it was strange that clashes occurred only during Yadav’s regime.

Referring to the alleged rape of Muslim girls in Allahabad, Singh said, “Rape could not be compensated by Rs 2 lakh compensation.” He said Nithari had also exposed the UP police.

Singh said free and fair elections were not possible under the Yadav government and urged the Election Commission in this regard.

He said the RLD was ready for election with or without an electoral alliance with any party. Singh said he was also not in the race for UP’s chief ministership. However, he said the people wanted a change and political parties should come out with a viable alternative.

Claiming that the SP would not come back to power, Singh said, “Casteism and rampant corruption had worsened the situation in the State.” 

Calling upon party men to be ready for the poll, he said the election process was likely to be completed by April-May.

Taking a dig at the spat between SP general secretary Beni Prasad Verma and State Labour Minister Dr Waqar Ahmad Shah, the RLD chief said, “Days of this government were numbered”. Earlier, Singh addressed party workers.

Email M Hasan: mhasan@hindustantimes.com