E-Paper
Mayawati’s “fund collection”
The Opposition charge about a “fund collection drive” for Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati’s birthday celebrations -allegedly launched by the ruling BSP in Uttar Pradesh - has gathered steam, with more cases of “extortions” having been reported.
The Opposition charge about a “fund collection drive” for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s birthday celebrations -allegedly launched by the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh - has gathered steam, with more cases of “extortions” having been reported.
Opposition parties including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are marshaling resources for a joint campaign on the issue, even as Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) President and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has submitted a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil demanding the dismissal of the Mayawati government and the imposition of President’s Rule in the state
In the memorandum, Paswan has alleged that three BSP workers gunned down LJP youth wing president Manish Yadav on December 26 for his alleged failure to cough up Rs.2 lakhs that was being demanded as contribution for Mayawati’s birthday.
Allegedly for similar reasons, engineer MK Gupta had been brutally done to death earlier.BSP legislator Shekhar Tiwari is the prime accused in the murder.
Over past days, more such cases have come to light. The BSP general secretary of the Mainpuri unit has also been accused of thrashing an Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) employee and his family members, after his reported refusal to “donate” money for Chief Minister Mayawati’s birthday celebrations on January 15.
Meanwhile, the BSP high command removed the party’s Mathura unit president Pratap Singh from his post after the name s of two of his sons figured in a shootout last Saturday – accounting for one death. The SP and RLD have given an ultimatum of 24 hours to nab the killers.
Another BSP legislator has courted controversy. Reports from Firozabad said that the police had recovered Rekha (20), a resident of Bhimnagar who was reported missing on December 1. Last Friday, Rekha’s mother had sat on a dharna in front of the District Magistrate (DM) office accusing BSP MLA Nasiruddin and his men of kidnapping Rekha.
