News Analysis India

Tag: Samajwadi Party

  • UP Jal Nigam recruitment scam: CBI court summons ex-minister Azam Khan

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: A special CBI court here summoned former minister Mohammad Azam Khan on Friday, while taking cognizance of the offences mentioned in a chargesheet in connection with the recruitment scam in the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam during the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government.

    Since Azam is in the Sitapur jail in another case, CBI judge Manoj Pandey directed the jail superintendent to ensure his appearance through video-conferencing on Monday (July 19).

    The court also issued summonses to the other accused in the case, including Girish Chandra Srivastava, Neeraj Malik, Vishwajeet Singh, Ajai Yadav, Santosh Rastogi and Kuldeep Negi.

    The special investigation team (SIT) formed to probe the case had filed the chargesheet after investigation following an FIR lodged at the SIT police station by inspector Atal Bihari on April 25, 2018.

    Khan was the urban development minister in the SP government headed by Akhilesh Yadav and it was alleged that norms were not followed in the recruitments in the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nijam.

  • Five held for allegedly raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans at Samajwadi Party rally

    By PTI
    AGRA: Police have arrested five men, who were allegedly heard raising slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in a viral video captured during Samajwadi Party demonstrations, officials said on Friday.

    The arrested accused were identified as Pankaj alias Paare, Aarif Khan, Chandra Prakash, Deepak Valmiki and Madhukar Singh, residents of Sultanganj Pulia locality.

    The video posted on social media on Thursday evening shows Pankaj raising slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ during a protest against the state government, led by Wajid Nisar, Samajwadi Party’s (SP’s) Agra district unit head.

    However, Nisar dissociated himself from Pankaj and asked police to take action against him.

    “As the matter came into my notice, I gave a written application and demanded action against the person involved in the anti-national activity,” Nisar said.

    The protest was part of the statewide demonstrations by SP against the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government.

    Later, Pankaj released a video and claimed that he only raised slogans in praise of SP leaders Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh Yadav.

    “Why would I raise slogans of ‘Pakistan zindabad’? I am a Thakur born and raised here (India),” he said.

    Superintendent of Police Botre Rohan Pramod said an FIR was registered against the five arrested accused and about 25 unidentified persons at Nai Mandi police station.

    They were booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection), 153 B (assertions against national integration), 505 (2)(creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant Sections of the Epidemic Act, the officer said.

    He said efforts were on to ascertain the identity of the rest of the accused.

  • Mayawati brackets BJP, SP together with ‘jungle raj-like anarchy’ jibe

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: BSP president Mayawati Thursday slammed the BJP and the Samajwadi Party using the “jungle raj-like anarchy” jibe to target them and their current and past governments in Uttar Pradesh and also claimed widespread irregularities in the recently held panchayat elections in the state.

    “The jungle raj-like anarchy prevailing also under the BJP rule in Uttar Pradesh is no less than what it was under the previous Samajwadi Party regime,” she said in a statement issued here in Hindi.

    She alleged the BJP deployed money and muscle power, misused the State machinery, similar to what the SP did when it was in power, and claimed victory on most seats in Zila Panchayat and Block Pramukh polls.

    “This has shamed democracy once again . This is condemnable, unfortunate and a cause of worry for all,” she said.

    She alleged that panchayat and local body elections in Uttar Pradesh have seldom been free and fair.

    These polls make a “mockery” of democracy and people’s voices are suppressed during these elections, she alleged.

    “For these reasons, the BSP had withdrawn support from the SP government in 1995. But the same situation exists under the current BJP regime, which is sad,” she said.

    She alleged the law and order situation in the state remains poor throughout the year and excesses against the Dalit, the poor, the labourer, Muslims and small and medium businesses are common.

    People in Uttar Pradesh are hurt by BJP and SP governments in the state and are eagerly waiting for the next assembly polls to bring ‘achchhe din’, she said.

    While the BJP and the SP were the focus of her attack, she also slammed the Congress levelling similar charges.

    She alleged that while people suffer due to poverty and unemployment the BJP government is busy celebrating its “victory” in the local polls.

    “Is it not adding insult to injury?” She claimed that all types of elections were conducted in a free and fair manner whenever the BSP was in power in the state.

    She appealed to people to keep all these factors in mind going forward or the value of their votes will be “reduced to zero”.

    “Now during the poll times, don’t get swayed by lofty promises, religious sentiments, and the laying of foundation stones. You have to take the right decision in the larger interest of your family, society and the state,” she said.

    She alleged rigging, kidnapping, murder and indecency against women during the local polls.

    Knowing this well, the BSP had decided not to contest the indirect elections for the zila panchayat chairperson and the block chiefs, which has proven to be a right decision in view of the subsequent developments, she said.

    The state’s ruling BJP claimed a massive win in the zila panchayat chairpersons and block chief elections.

  • Akhilesh Yadav asks all SP leaders to get vaccinated against COVID-19

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday appealed to all leaders of his party to get themselves vaccinated and to remain alert in order to save themselves from the coronavirus.

    A few months ago, Yadav had stoked controversy by saying that he would not get himself injected with a “BJP vaccine” against coronavirus.

    Later, he had tried to make amends, saying he was not referring to the scientists.

    The SP chief had said that he has full faith in the doctors but not in the government.

    He had appealed to the people to only believe in what the doctors say, not Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

    According to a statement issued by SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhury, “At the meeting, Akhilesh Yadav appealed all to get themselves vaccinated. He asked partymen to remain alert to save themselves from the coronavirus.”

    SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and senior leaders were present at the meeting in which the political and economic situations were discussed.

    They also reviewed preparations of the party for the 2022 assembly polls.

  • Azam Khan, son taken back to jail after recovering from coronavirus

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Khan were discharged from a hospital here Tuesday after recovering from COVID-19 and are being taken to the Sitapur district jail where they were lodged in various cases before being hospitalised, officials said.

    The 72-year-old Rampur Lok Sabha MP and his son (30) were admitted to the Medanta Hospital on May 9.

    “Seeing the improvement in his (Azam Khan’s) and his son’s health conditions, they were discharged from the Medanta Hospital at 10.30 on July 13. He and his son are now fully medically fit,” the hospital said in a statement issued here.

    Khan and his son were confirmed Covid positive on April 30.

    Hospital Director Dr Rakesh Kapoor said Tuesday they were admitted to the hospital from the jail on May 9.

    Sitapur district jail superintendent Suresk Kumar Singh told PTI Tuesday that the two are being brought back to the jail.

    Khan, his son and wife Tazeen Fatma were lodged in the jail in February last year in connection with various cases. The Allahabad High Court had in December granted bail to Tazeen Fatma in all 34 cases registered against her.

  • Five Samajwadi Party workers arrested for indecent sloganeering against Uttar Pradesh minister

    By PTI
    BALLIA (UTTAR PRADESH): Five Samajwadi Party workers were on Monday arrested for allegedly indulging in indecent sloganeering against Uttar Pradesh Sports Minister Upendra Tiwari, police said. The state police had on Sunday registered a case against 10 people, including a newly-elected chairperson of zila panchayat and his father, for allegedly indulging in indecent sloganeering against Tiwari.

    “Five SP workers — Shailendra Yadav, Manish Yadav, Tinkal Singh, Shivpal Singh and Vikas Kumar Ojha have been arrested from the party’s office today (Monday),” Addl SP (Ballia) Sanjay Yadav said.

    Newly-elected Ballia zila panchayat chairperson Anand Chaudhary, his father Ambika Chaudhary and hundreds of unidentified people were booked by police, Yadav said. He added that one of the accused was arrested on Sunday.

    According to police, a video in which SP workers can be purportedly seen indulging in sloganeering against Tiwari went viral on social media following which BJP leaders of the district met the Ballia SP Vipin Tada at his residence.

    Meanwhile, Tiwari had alleged that the SP workers had abused his mother and sister. “In the video, expletives were hurled at my mother and sister. Ambika Chaudhary is trying to join the SP through his son. In 75 districts of the state, elections for the zila panchayat chairpersons were held, but this situation did not come up in the 74 other districts,” the minister had said.

    Reacting to the charges levelled against him, Ambika Chaudhary said, “Tiwari had hurled expletives at my family members, but I did not say anything. Yesterday, after the elections, we came back home directly from the collectorate. My son Anand also reached home in police protection, and no victory procession was taken out by us.”

    He said that Samajwadi Party leaders were framed in a fake case to defame the party.

  • Gomti river front project irregularities: CBI registers second FIR, 189 officials booked

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The CBI has booked 189 officials and contractors in its second FIR related to irregularities in the Rs 1,437-crore Gomti river front development project in Lucknow, which was undertaken during the tenure of the previous Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Monday.

    Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav was the chief minister then. After registering the fresh FIR on Friday, following a preliminary inquiry, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday carried out searches at 42 locations spread across 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh, Alwar in Rajasthan and Kolkata in West Bengal, they said.

    The officials said that the operation, which started early in the morning, is going on and it may be expanded during the course of the day. This is the second FIR related to the project by the CBI. An earlier FIR has already covered work orders worth over Rs 1,031 crore.

    In the present FIR, in which 16 officials, including chief engineers, and 173 contractors are accused, the CBI has alleged that 30 notices inviting tenders have come under the scanner. Out of these, only five were published in newspapers while the remaining 25 forged letters were sent to the Department of Information and Publication to show compliance, it alleged.

    The agency has listed several similar irregularities, including award of tender on the basis of forged documents and forgery in publication of notices inviting tender, according to the present FIR.

    The preliminary inquiry also showed that 27 work orders each over Rs 1 lakh, including one for import of an international standard musical fountain, worth over 55.95 lakh Euros (Rs 49.3 crore at the present exchange rate), from the Aquatique Show in Strasbourg, France, were issued without any tender, it alleged.

    The CBI said that this was in violation of government orders which stipulate that no order of above Rs 1 lakh can be awarded without an tender. The quotation notice for the fountain was issued by Akhil Raman, the then superintendent engineer, and it was genuinely published, it said.

    “However, prior to issuance of quotation notice a normal tendering process notice was shown by Raman. This notice was not published and forged receipt letter, release order and copies of newspaper clippings were placed in the records,” an official said.

    The estimate was approved on the basis quotations in 2016. Roop Singh Yadav, another the then superintendent engineer, directly wrote to the French company for signing the contract. He recommended for issuance of supply order for the company, the CBI alleged.

    SN Sharma, the then chief engineer, sought prior permission to import the material on August 27, 2016, and issued supply order after four days without obtaining prior permission, it alleged. The CBI has alleged that Sharma, Raman and Yadav abused their official position and issued the supply order on quotation basis instead of tender basis giving undue benefit to Aquatique Show.

    In Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district, CBI sleuths raided the residence of contractor Rakesh Bhati in connection with the case, officials said. Bhati is also a member of the Congress unit in Uttar Pradesh. In the 2022 UP assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party, the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party, the Congress, among others, will try to wrest the state from the BJP.

    Uttar Pradesh Minister Sidharth Nath Singh said that CBI searches indicate to the misdeeds of the previous Akhilesh Yadav government. “We had requested the CBI earlier to speed up its probe in such scams.

    The CBI is a central agency and working in its style. In the Gomti river front scam, the searches are on at places of 16 engineers and 173 contractors,” the minister said when asked about it by reporters here in Lucknow.

  • CBI registers fresh case in Gomti river front project irregularities

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The CBI has registered a fresh case in the alleged irregularities in the ambitious Gomti river front project in Lucknow, which was undertaken during the Samajwadi Party’s government in Uttar Pradesh, where assembly polls are due next year.

    The agency started a massive search operation at around 43 locations in multiple states on Monday following the registration of FIR, officials said.

    The operation, which started early in the morning, is going on and it may be expanded during the course of the day, they said.

    The officials said that a large number of engineers of the Uttar Pradesh government and other officials, around 180 of them have been made accused in the FIR.

    This is the second FIR related to the project by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

    In the 2022 UP assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party, under Akhilesh Yadav, the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party, the Congress, among others, will try to wrest the state from the BJP.

  • Akhilesh Yadav likely to join hands with uncle to take on BJP

    By Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: Four years after Shivpal Singh Yadav, younger brother of Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, severed ties with his nephew Akhilesh Yadav, the party chief, it seems, is set to join hands with his uncle along with smaller parties to contest the UP Assembly polls scheduled for next year.  

    Shivpal, on September 28, 2018, had announced his new political party Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party after falling out with Akhilesh. Shivpal had complained that he felt neglected in the SP, which was founded by his elder brother Mulayam, after his nephew took charge. On Thursday, Akhilesh has ruled out any alliance with any major political party in the 2022 Assembly polls and has openly said his party will go with smaller parties.

    “As per the aspirations of our workers, we’ll not have any alliance with any major/big parties, but will certainly have tie-ups with small parties. Chacha se bhi baat karenge (I’ll talk to uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav also) while partnering with smaller parties,” the SP supremo and ex-UP CM said on his birthday on Thursday.

    The announcement raised the possibility of patch up with his uncle. Recently, there have been unconfirmed reports of the melting of ice between the uncle and nephew  and the recent pictures of them together at a family wedding are a key indicator of that possibility, even as Shivpal had publicly said that he would work only on building an alliance of smaller parties, including AIMIM, to fight out the ruling BJP.

    The unopposed election of the SP candidate for the post of chairperson of district panchayat in Etawah could only happen due to uncle Shivpal’s tacit support to his nephew led to party’s candidate. 

  • UP assembly polls: Akhilesh Yadav not to align with big players but open to tie-ups with small parties

    By Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: Just a few days after the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) announced to go solo in the next assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) announced its decision not to align with any major players.

    “As per the aspirations of our workers, we’ll not have an alliance with any major/big parties, but will certainly have tie-ups with small parties. Chacha se bhi baat karenge (I’ll talk to uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav also) while partnering with smaller parties,” the SP chief and ex-UP CM Akhilesh Yadav said on his birthday on Thursday.

    This announcement by the ex-UP CM raised the possibility of patch up with his uncle and ex-UP cabinet minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, who since 2018 has his own party, the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party.

    Shivpal, the younger sibling of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav had severed ties with his nephew Akhilesh just a few months before the 2017 assembly polls in UP.

    Recently, there have been unconfirmed reports of the melting of ice between chacha and bhatija (uncle and nephew) and the recent pictures of the uncle-nephew duo together at a family wedding strengthens that possibility. However, Shivpal Singh Yadav had publicly said that he will work only on building an alliance of smaller parties, including Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM to fight out the ruling BJP in the 2022 polls in UP.

    Importantly, the unopposed election of the SP candidate for the post of chairperson of district panchayat in the Yadav family’s home Etawah district could only happen with Shivpal’s support.

    The family feud in the Yadav family headed by Mulayam has been politically costing the family in UP since 2017 assembly polls, where the Akhilesh Yadav led party came up with its worst performance with just 47 seats and 21.62% votes — 177 seats less than its 2012 tally of 224. Even an alliance with Congress and RLD didn’t help against the BJP’s historic majority of 312 seats.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls also, SP shelved its long-standing bitterness with Mayawati-led BSP, but the outcome of the alliance was more in favour of the elephant symbol party and than SP’s bicycle symbol as the BSP increased its tally from zero to 10 while the latter only managed to hold on to its 2014 tally of five seats.  

    Over the last few months, the Akhilesh Yadav led SP has been working at cobbling a vote bank of OBC (Yadavs and other OBC castes) along with non Jatav scheduled castes and the Muslims to return to power in 2022 polls.

    The SP’s strategy to align only with smaller parties seems to have been driven by the success of BJP’s similar strategy in the 2017 assembly polls and the 2019 general elections in the politically crucial state.

    While the SP has already aligned with small party Mahan Dal (which had sided with Congress in 2019 Lok Sabha polls), it’s also eyeing tie-ups with Om Prakash Rajbhar’s SBSP (a former BJP ally) and NISHAD Party (presently in alliance with ruling BJP) to eat into the BJP’s non-Yadav OBC and non-Jatav scheduled caste votes. The OBC comprises over 45% of UP’s total voters.

    Reacting to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s announcement of not aligning with any major political party in 2022 polls, BSP chief and ex UP CM Mayawati tweeted that it is the party’s anti-Dalit mindset, which has made all major political parties stay away from it.