News Analysis India

Tag: Uttar Pradesh

  • Rape victim dies by suicide in Uttar Pradesh over police inaction

    By PTI

    AZAMGARH: An alleged rape victim on Saturday died by suicide here in protest against police inaction following which an SHO was suspended, officials said.

    The woman, a resident of a village under Mehnajpur police station area, was allegedly sexually assaulted recently.

    Her husband claimed that she had identified one Anil of the same village as one of the accused, but police failed to take any action in the matter, Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh said.

    “In-charge of the police station Chunna Singh has been suspended for negligence,” he said.

    The victim’s family alleged that they had appealed to the police many times for justice, but in vain.

    The woman reached the police station on Saturday and later consumed poison. 

    She was rushed to a hospital where was declared brought dead, the SP said.

    The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, he said.

    The police added that a case has been registered against the accused.

    (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation – 04424640050 (available 24×7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ helpline – 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)

  • Priyanka picks up broom in Dalit hamlet as Yogi says people have made Congress worth doing that only

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday made a surprise visit to a Dalit hamlet here and picked up a broom to clean it, reacting to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s dig at her act of sweeping of floor at a Sitapur guest house during her detention.

    In reply to a query over Gandhi’s act of mopping during her detention, Adityanath earlier during the day had said “the people wanted to make them (the Congress leaders) worth doing that and that is what they have made them”.

    “These people have no work except spreading nuisance and negativity,” he had said.

    The chief minister had made the remark earlier in the day during a programme at a private TV news channel.

    In response to the chief minister’s remark, Gandhi descended upon the Dalit colony and picked up the broom, saying it is a symbol of simplicity and self-respect.

    While mingling with the inhabitants at Luv Kush Nagar, the Congress general secretary cleaned the area, saying crores of women and sanitation workers in the country use brooms daily for cleaning, a Congress spokesman said.

    At the TV news channel programme, the chief minister had further said, “These people have nothing but a negative attitude. They were not seen during the corona times. “When people were suffering from the infection, it was the BJP workers and government which were with people amid a nil presence of these people,” he had added.

    “But now they have got up from their slumber and took up the Lakhimpur incident as an opportunity,” Adityanath said.

    “He has not humiliated me by saying so he has humiliated you all as crores of Dalit brothers and sisters are safai karamcharis and they do this work,” Priyanka told residents of Luv Kush Nagar, taking exception to the Chief Ministers comments.

    “I have come here for doing the cleaning work along with you all and let Yogi Ji know that cleaning and using a broom is a self-respecting task,” she said.

  • Farmers not involved in Lakhimpur violence, people from political parties behind it: Bharatiya Kisan Sangh

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Seeking the harshest punishment for those involved in the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, the RSS-affiliated farmer union BKS on Monday said people from various political parties, and not farmers, were behind it.

    Describing the incident as “unfortunate”, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) in a statement said, “The people involved in the incident were not farmers, they belonged to various political parties. The incident was carried out using leftist methods. People were mercilessly beaten to death with sticks, something farmers cannot do.”

    The BKS claimed that the way the people took the law into their own hands and committed murders in public shows that they were part of some professional gangs.

    ALSO READ: BKU chief asks BJP workers not to visit UP’s rural areas as farmers angry

    Seeking the harshest punishment for those involved in such acts, it said that justice should be done to the families of the deceased by conducting an impartial inquiry into this heinous incident at the earliest.

    Eight people were killed — four farmers allegedly run over and four people in a convoy of BJP workers who were lynched — on Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh.

  • Is crushing farmers, stifling Opposition voices new strategy of BJP? asks Sena MP Sanjay Raut

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday wondered if crushing farmers and stifling the voice of opposition leaders who stand in their support was the BJP’s new strategy, a day after eight people were killed in violence that erupted during a farmers’ protest at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.

    Talking to reporters here, Raut said when a rape incident took place at Saki Naka in Mumbai (last month), the BJP raised a hue and cry, and “we (state government) did not stop anyone from going to the crime site”.

    “Farmers have been run over allegedly by the car of a minister’s son (in Lakhimpur Kheri). Where does such cruelty come from?” asked the Rajya Sabha member, whose party shares power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra.

    He said Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders were stopped (by the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh) from going to Lakhimpur Kheri to show solidarity with the farmers protesting over their demand for a repeal of the Centre’s three agri-marketing laws.

    ALSO READ: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on ‘hunger strike’ following detention

    “Does the BJP have a new strategy of crushing farmers and stifling the voices of opposition leaders who show solidarity with them?” Raut asked.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks about farmers’ interests, while state governments headed by the BJP “kill farmers” with cars being run over them, the Sena’s chief spokesperson claimed.

    Raut likened the Lakhimpur Kheri incident to the case of revolutionary Babu Genu, who was run over by a Britisher’s truck while protesting in Mumbai during the independence struggle.

    Speaking on former Sena MLA Subhash Sabne crossing over to the BJP to fight the upcoming Deglur Assembly bypoll in Maharashtra, Raut wondered if former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was touring the state’s Marathwada region to take stock of farm distress due to recent heavy rains there or to induct a Sena leader into the BJP.

  • ‘It will take just 2 minutes…’: Purported video of MoS Mishra surfaces on social media ahead of Lakhimpur violence

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: A purported video of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra in which he is heard warning agitating farmers that he would discipline them in “two minutes” appears to have angered farmers even before Sunday’s violent clashes in Lakhimpur Kheri.

    “Face me, it will take just two minutes to discipline you fellows,” the two-time BJP MP from Kheri is heard allegedly saying in the video.

    “I am not only a minister or a MP and MLA. People who know me even before I became a Parliamentarian know that I never run away from taking a challenge. The day I accept the challenge you all have to leave not only Palia (a place) but Lakhimpur itself,” he is heard saying in the video.

    Source said Mishra’s speech came in the backdrop of some farmers showing him black flags in Palia locality in his Kheri Parliamentary constituency where he had gone to address a public meeting there late last month.

    Since then farmers have been up in arms against him and on Sunday while protesting against the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya in Mishra’s native village Banbirpur violence erupted resulting in eight deaths, the sources said.

    Local farmer leader Gurmit Singh told a TV channel that on September 25, members of Krantikari Kisan union and Bhartiya Kisan Union had shown Mishra black flags following which the minister had allegedly threatened to deal with them.

    ALSO READ | ‘Remove MoS Ajay Mishra from Union Cabinet’: Samyukta Kisan Morcha writes to President Kovind

    He said upon coming to know about Maurya’s programme, the farmers sat on a dharna peacefully near the helipad where he was scheduled to arrive.

    When the farmers came to know that Maurya was coming by road, the farmers stood in protest at a three km stretch on his travel route in the course of which the dastardly incident happened the previous day.

    Singh alleged that Mishra’s son and his supporters “trampled farmers to death under wheels of their SUVs”.

    Farmer leaders had claimed that the minister’s son Ashish Mishra was in one of the cars which allegedly knocked down some protesters who were opposing the deputy CM’s visit.

    However, Ajay Mishra said he and his son were not present at the spot as alleged by some farmer leaders and he has photo and video evidence to prove it.

    Ajay Mishra had also claimed that extremist organisations like the Babbar Khalsa have infiltrated into the farmers’ protest An FIR has been registered against Ashish Mishra and others in connection with the incident.

    ALSO READ: BKU chief asks BJP workers not to visit UP’s rural areas as farmers angry

    Some criminal cases including that of murder were lodged against 61-year-old Ajay Mishra in the past but he was cleared by the court in those related to murder allegations.

    Starting his political innings as a panchayat member, Ajay Mishra was elected as BJP MLA from Vidhasan assembly seat in Lakhimpur Kheri district in 2012.

    The party nominated him for the 2014 Lok Sabha poll from Kheri seat which he won then and also in the last Parliamentary election in 2019.

    He was inducted in Prime Minister Narendra Modi cabinet in July last and given a key berth as Minister of State for Home.

    The saffron party projected him as a prominent Brahmin leader and organised several public meetings for him to drum up support in the upcoming state election.

  • Govt uses iron fist against its own people but welcomes Chinese troops, says ex-CM Mehbooba Mufti

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: In an apparent reference to the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti alleged on Monday that imposing Section 144 wherever human rights and dignity have trampled upon has emerged as the Centre’s preferred approach.

    She claimed that the government uses an iron fist against its own people but welcomes Chinese troops with open arms.

    Her remarks came after at least eight people were killed as violence erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday.

    Multiple opposition leaders tried to make their way to the Uttar Pradesh district through the night but were prevented from doing so.

    ALSO READ: Truce reached between protesting farmers and UP govt, Rs 45 lakh to be given to kin of dead

    “Applying Section 144 wherever human rights & dignity is trampled has emerged as GOIs preferred approach. This government shows no hesitation in using an iron fist with its own people but welcomes Chinese troops with open arms,” the PDP chief wrote on Twitter.

    “One can’t even compare the oppression unleashed in J&K since 2019 but the common denominators are obvious. What started in J&K was sadly met with an air of indifference & has now engulfed the entire country. When will we speak up?” she asked.

    Commenting on the situation in Lakhimpur Kheri, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said Uttar Pradesh has become the new Jammu and Kashmir. “Uttar Pradesh is the ‘naya J&K’,” he tweeted.

  • CM Channi wants to visit Lakhimpur Kheri, Punjab govt writes to Uttar Pradesh

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The Punjab civil aviation department on Monday urged the Uttar Pradesh government to allow Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s chopper to land so that he can visit Lakhimpur Kheri, where eight people were killed as violence erupted during a farmers’ protest a day earlier.

    The violence took place on Sunday, claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit to Lakhimpur by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

    “As you are aware that due to the situation arising out of the incident and deaths of peacefully protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri of Uttar Pradesh, the chief minister wants to visit the families concerned to be with them in this hour of grief,” the director of the Department of Civil Aviation, Punjab, wrote to UP Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Awanish Kumar Awasthi.

    ALSO READ | Lakhimpur violence: FIR against MoS Ajay Mishra’s son, several other persons as Opposition hits out at BJP

    “It is requested that permission may be granted for landing and taking off (of) the chopper of CM. It is also requested that adequate arrangements may be made so that the chief minister may meet with concerned families,” it added.

    Earlier, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had also said that he would visit Lakhimpur Kheri for an assessment of the situation there.

  • Violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri after cars run over protesting farmers, many injured

    By PTI

    LAKHIMPUR KHERI: Violence broke out after two SUVs allegedly ran over over a group of anti-farm law protesters who were demonstrating against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya at Tikonia-Banbirpur road here on Sunday.

    Unconfirmed reports said that a number of farmers were seriously injured in the incident.

    Angry protesters allegedly forced the two vehicles to stop and set them on fire.

    They also allegedly trashed some passengers.

    The farmers had assembled there to oppose Maurya’s visit to Banbirpur, the native village of Union minister of state for Home Khiri MP Ajay Kumar Mishra.

    Several journalists were also reported to have sustained injuries in the incident.

    Meanwhile, in view of the violence, Deputy Chief Minister Maurya’s visit to Banbirpur village has been cancelled.

  • Exodus of prominent leaders jolting UP Congress prospects in 2022 polls

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: At a time when Congress party is struggling hard to revive its organisation in Uttar Pradesh with the intent to project itself as the only option to the BJP, it is getting jolt after jolt with prominent faces leaving it for greener pastures.

    This week has been quite happening for the grand old party when party’s UP in charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was in Lucknow on a five-day tourney to review party’s poll preparedness. As senior leaders as Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) vice-president and former MLA Gayadeen Anuragi and former party MLA Vinod Chaturvedi, joined the Samajwadi Party on Friday.

    Both Anuragi and Chaturvedi, joined the SP barely a few hours after Priyanka left for Delhi. Venting their discontent with the way party was functioning, both the leaders said that they were feeling muffled and sidelined in the organisation. However, both had got the opportunity to meet the AICC general secretaryduring her stay in Lucknow this week.

    Besides Anuragi and Chaturvedi, Lalitesh Pati Tripathi, another UPCC Vice-president and scion of Kamla Pati Tripathi clan gave the party a jolt last week when he announced his resignation from the primary membership of Congress.

    Believed to be quite close to Priyanka Gandhi and Congress’s face in eastern UP, Lalitesh also expressed his concern over the way party was being led.

    However, party insiders claim that many more, especially those who will be denied tickets in the upcoming assembly polls, may switch loyalties in the coming weeks.

    One such most prominent faces of UP politics, especially, of western UP is Imran Masood who has been giving indications of switching sides to SP. All praise for SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Masood recently exhorted the Congress leadership to join hands with SP, “the major opposition party”  to defeat the saffronforces in UP.

    UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu said the Congress was in a phase of revival and reconstruction. “The party leadership is fighting for the cause of people. Those who do not have the patience to sail through are leaving the Congress but the party will continue its fight with the support of its workers,” he said.

    “If Masood leaves the Congress, it will be a big setback,” said another Congress leader. Masood has, however, denied reports and said he was only in favour of an alliance with the Samajwadi Party for the 2022 UP assembly election.

    Former Union minister Jitin Prasada, ex-UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi and former minister Jagdambika Pal are among other prominent Congress leaders who have left the party to join the BJP in the last few years.

  • Senior citizen killed during scuffle with burglar in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar

    By PTI

    MUZAFFARNAGAR: A 70-year-old man was allegedly killed when he tried to resist an attempted break-in at his house in Shanti Nagar locality here, police said on Saturday. Rakesh Sharma died during a scuffle with Aftab, the alleged burglar, who broke into his house allegedly with an intent to steal his car on Friday night.

    Police registered a case against Aftab under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code and arrested him.