LoP-led SP delegation headed to Bareilly put under house arrest

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday accused the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of misusing the state police to "murder democracy" by detaining and arresting members of the delegation led by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mata Prasad Pandey that was heading to Bareilly to help in restoring peace in region which witnessed protests in the city after the Friday prayers forcing police to cane-charge agitators.

In the follow-up action, 10 FIRs were lodged against those involved in protests and as many as 80 people have been arrested so far, including some who suffered gunshot wounds in police encounters. As many as 80 shops have been sealed as ‘encroachments' in the area where the protest took place and are now staring at possible bulldozer action against illegal constructions.

On the instructions of SP president Akhilesh Yadav, a 14-member party delegation led by LoP Mata Prasad Pandey was scheduled to reach Bareilly on Saturday "to contribute towards restoring peace in the city". The delegation comprised MPs Harendra Malik, Ikra Hasab, Zia-Ur-Rehman Barq, Mohibullah Nadvi and Neeraj Maurya along with ex-MPs Veer Pal Singh and Praveen Singh Aron. It also included district president Shivcharan Kashchyap, city president Shameem Khan Sultani, MLA and state general secretary Attaur Rehman, MLA Shehzil Islam, former minister Bhagwat Sharan Gangwar and state secretary Shublesh Yadav.

The state government does not want the SP delegation to reach Bareilly as it wants to "hide something" and was afraid of being exposed, said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. "Most of the delegation members were put under house arrest, some of them since Friday evening itself. Those who could not be detained at their respective houses, were intercepted and detained while heading towards Bareilly," he said, questioning the basis of the police action . "The delegation was scheduled to meet the IG police and commissioner and work towards restoring peace in the region," Akhilesh said.

"The BJP government's action against peoples' representatives is not only blatant misuse of government machinery but also undemocratic as well. The BJP has got in a habit of misusing police to thwart democratic acts. Earlier, our MP Ramji Lal Suman was also stopped by the police in a similar situation," Akhilesh said. Several innocent people have been arrested in the police action that followed the protests after Friday prayers on September 26. Several shops and houses have been demolished by bulldozers. By stopping the opposition delegation from collecting the facts from ground zero and meeting the people at the receiving end of the police action, the government has proved that it wants to cover up the lapses, he said.

"The BJP must understand that using such a repressive approach towards people of Bareilly will not fetch them anything. BJP's injustice will not last before PDA's unity because the bond is getting stronger by the day. BJP's atrocities will not be able to stand the unity of PDA which is the voice of Pichhde (Backward classes), Dalits, Alpsankhyak (minorities) along with the oppressed, marginalised, neglected and humiliated," Akhilesh said.