Government behind incidents of arson: Akhilesh Yadav

Former chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government was behind the incidents of

Former chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government was behind the incidents of arson and violence during the ongoing protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the proposed National Register of Citizenship (NRC).

The former UP CM claimed that the CAA and the NRC were tools deliberately designed and employed by the Central government to distract people’s attention from the real issues. (HT FILE)

Addressing a press conference here at the party office, he said the government machinery was engineering violence to find an excuse to take action against peacefully protesting people in various cities.

“The chief minister’s statement in which he threatened the government will take revenge is responsible for killing of so many people who were protesting peacefully,” he said adding the police were not acting in a fair way.

This, he said was not for the first time when Yogi Adityanath had used such a language unbecoming of a CM. “Earlier also, he used similar language on the floor of the House following which police embarked upon an encounter spree killing many innocent individuals in the name of criminals,” he said.

The former CM claimed that the CAA and NRC were tools deliberately designed and employed by the Central government to distract people’s attention from the real issues -- a sinking economy, deepening farm crisis and growing unemployment.

Objecting to the NRC, he said the BJP government wanted people to stand in queues to give proof of their citizenship in the same manner in which they had to stand in lines before banks during the demonetisation.

The BJP, Akhilesh alleged, was pushing its divisive agenda in the name of the CAA and NRC. The SP would oppose any such move with all the force, he said appealing to people to continue to register their protests peacefully.

ON BJP MLAs’ DHARNA

Replying to a question on 100 BJP lawmakers staging a dharna against their own government in the Vidhan Sabha a few days ago, Akhilesh Yadav said the BJP MLAs had made up their mind “to play 20:20 match in the New Year”, which, he added, could spring a surprise.

Asked if the SP was in touch with these MLAs and would support them, he said in a lighter vein, “Let 200 BJP MLAs take our 50 MLAs and form the government.”