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UP elections: FIR against Samajwadi Party for EC, Covid norms breach
“An FIR has been filed over violation of MCC, prohibitory orders, and the Epidemic Act over Covid-19 protocols,” Lucknow police commissioner DK Thakur said.
Lucknow: Soon after Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav held a “virtual rally” and press conference to induct former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders into his party, police in Lucknow filed an FIR over alleged violations of Covid-19 protocols, breach of the Election Commission’s model code of conduct (MCC), and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
“An FIR has been filed over violation of MCC, prohibitory orders, and the Epidemic Act over Covid-19 protocols,” Lucknow police commissioner DK Thakur said.
Later in the day, the Election Commission of India suspended Dinesh Singh Bisht, in-charge of Gautam Palli police station, on grounds of gross negligence in discharge of duties.
The poll body also directed Akhilesh Singh, assistant police commissioner, Lucknow, and Govid Maurya, additional city magistrate, to submit a clarification over the large gathering at the SP office.
EC has prevented the political parties from campaigning physically till January 15 amid the Covid-19 surge driven by the Omicron variant across the country.
A few thousand people appeared to be present at the event, held at the Samajwadi Party headquarters, and former CM Akhilesh Yadav was on stage with several leaders -- including former ministers in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, Swami Prasad Maurya and Dharam Veer Saini, and five MLAs who resigned from the state assembly to switch from the BJP to the SP. A banner in the backdrop, in Devanagari script, said “virtual rally”.
In a statement, the Lucknow police commissionerate said: “Before the event, noticing the gathering, police on duty cautioned the people on loudhailers repeatedly at the SP office against crowding. However, on not responding to the caution, the police filed the FIR against 2,000-2,500 people (unnamed) of the Samajwadi Party.”
The statement added that the police personnel on duty in the area observed about 2,000-2,500 people inside the SP office premises.
In response to the police statement, the SP’s state president Naresh Uttam Patel said the people came because of their love for Akhilesh Yadav, adding that they followed the Covid-19 protocols and wore masks.
“There was a virtual press conference by Akhilesh Yadav, but it was the love of the people that they came here. It is not the fault of the workers of our party or our party either,” he said.
“Nobody was invited. But people came and followed the Covid protocols, wore masks. No action is taken against the crowd in the market under the watch of the ministers of the BJP, and they are taking action against the virtual programme in the SP office. This is wrong,” he added.
(With ANI inputs)
