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BJP MLA daughter claims father forcibly taken to Lucknow; ‘baseless,’ say police
Refuting the reports of Bidhuna MLA joining the Samajwadi Party, Riya Shakya claimed that her uncle Devesh Shakya forcibly took his paralysed father to Lucknow for ‘personal politics’.
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday said that the claims made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Bidhuna Vinay Shakya's daughter Riya Shakya about her father being forcibly taken to Lucknow were baseless. After Riya’s video went viral, Auraiya Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Verma said that Vinay Shakya is currently staying at his Etawah residence and police personnel are also present at the location.
"I talked with MLA Vinay Shakya on a video call and found that he is currently staying at his Etawah's residence. Police security personnel are also present at the location. The viral video of Riya Shakya, daughter of MLA Vinay Shakya is baseless," said Verma.
In a jolt to the BJP in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, three MLAs announced they were quitting the party soon after OBC leader Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from the state cabinet. After Tindwari MLA Brajesh Prajapati, Tilhar’s Roshan Lal Varma and Bilhaur’s Bhagwati Sagar confirmed leaving the party, reports of Vinay Shakya quitting the BJP also emerged.
Refuting the reports of Bidhuna MLA joining the Samajwadi Party, Riya Shakya claimed that her uncle Devesh Shakya forcibly took his paralysed father to Lucknow for ‘personal politics’.
In a video that went viral on social media, Riya said, "You all know that my father was paralyzed a few years back, after which he is unable to walk. My uncle Devesh Shakya took advantage of his illness and started doing personal politics in his name."
"Today, he crossed all the limits and took my father forcibly from our house and went to Lucknow to join SP," she added.
Riya requested the state government to help her find the whereabouts of her father, saying “we are working for BJP and will always stand firm with the party.”
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, to be held in seven phases, will start on February 10. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
(With agency inputs)
