Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP over pace of probe in Lakhimpur case

Hitting out at the ruling party, Akhilesh Yadav said there is no hope of justice in the Lakhimpur case till the BJP is in power in the state.

Lucknow:Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday hit out at the BJP over the Supreme Court's observations on the probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri case, charging that the saffron party decides whom to implicate and where to take the investigation.

He also charged that the BJP's three engines -- Delhi engine, Lucknow engine and Lakhimpur engine -- are destroying law and order in Uttar Pradesh.

The Supreme Court on Monday suggested that a former judge of a different high court should monitor the Uttar Pradesh SIT probe on day-to-day basis in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case to infuse "independence, impartiality and fairness, saying the investigation was not going the way it expected.

Yadav said there is no hope of justice in the Lakhimpur case till the BJP is in power in the state.

"The Supreme Court is saying that efforts are being made to save the accused in the Lakhimpur case. The courts have raised questions on the law and order of the state many times in the past. Why is the government not accepting the matter of monitoring of probe? We are already saying that as long as the BJP is in government here, there is no hope of justice in this case," he told a press conference.

"Three engines of BJP are destroying law and order. First is the Delhi engine, then the Lucknow engine and Lakhimpur engine," Yadav said while pointing fingers at the Centre, State and Union Minister of state Ajay Mishra whose son Ashish Mishra is named as an accused in the case.

"The Minister of State for Home (Ajay Mishra), whose son was arrested in this case, has not been sacked yet," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, adding that the Supreme Court has raised questions on the SIT.

"BJP decides whom to implicate, whom to follow, where to take the investigation. When will the SIT finally itself be probed?," he said.

Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in the convoy at Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre's three new farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3.

Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters, and a local journalist was killed in the violence.

Regarding Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's allegation of patronising of crime and criminals in the previous SP government, the SP chief said, "Which chief minister is speaking this after all. He should tell what sections were imposed on him, which he himself withdrew after becoming the CM".

Referring to the demonetisation carried out by the BJP government at the Centre in November 2016, Yadav said that despite so many years of this decision, the BJP was not telling what benefits it has given.

"What was called a masterstroke turned out to be a brain stroke. It was done deliberately to harass the public," he alleged.

Yadav said after demonetisation, the assurance was given that black money stashed in foreign banks will be bought back.

"There was talk of ending corruption but corruption has increased on a large-scale. BJP's wrong policies are responsible for the plight of the economy," he said.

Alleging that a large number of youths, traders and farmers have committed suicide due to demonetisation, he said, "Does the government have any answer for this? This government did demonetisation to benefit big people. Today more cash has come in the market than it was in circulation earlier. BJP is master in doing propaganda".

SP will sit on dharna against EC if draft electoral roll not given: Akhilesh

Akhilesh Yadav said his party may go on a sit-in against the Election Commission if it does not provide them the draft voters list before the final publication ahead of the 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

The final electoral roll will be published on January 5 next year by the poll body and the SP wants the draft list to be given immediately.

"In the electoral rolls, 21,56,262 names were added and 16,42,756 names were removed. The EC used to issue a list of voters after addition and deletion of names. We don't know under whose pressure the EC is not providing the list this time around. As a political party, we want to know whose name is added or deleted but we have not got any information," Yadav said.

"We have made a complaint regarding this. Our senior leaders had given a memorandum to the EC. If needed, SP will sit on dharna against the EC," he added.

"Till 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the electoral roll was provided to political parties. Why is it not given this time? Why are we not provided the updated list of voters?" he said.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister claimed everyone knew that people were ready to remove the BJP government in the state.

Stating that "senior officials in EC are from UP", Yadav said he hoped his party will be given a hearing and the poll body would act in an unbiased manner.

PTI