Govt should stop pretending to be Indian Army: Akhilesh on Pulwama debate
Lucknow, Mar 22: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Friday said the sacrifices of the armed forces should not be questioned, but asked the government to "stop pretending to be the Indian Army".
Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his attack on rival parties over the Pulwama attack and the subsequent IAF strike in Pakistan, Yadav also said that in a democracy it was a "fundamental right" to ask questions of politicians.
"Politicians who say they cannot be questioned are dangerous," he said.
Yadav's remarks came after his party colleague Ram Gopal Yadav came in for heavy criticism from the PM for alleging that the Pulwama terror attack was a "conspiracy" to garner votes.
In a series of tweets, the PM also slammed Congress' Sam Pitroda for saying he wanted to "know more" about the Balakot strike and asking as to how many terrorists were killed in the operation.
In his attack, Modi termed the Opposition "the natural habitat of terror apologists" and accusing them of "insulting" armed forces.
Akhilesh Yadav's tweet came an hour after the Prime minister's.
"The sacrifices of our Armed Forces should never be questioned. To ask questions of politicians in a democracy is our fundamental right. This government needs to stop pretending to be the Indian Army," the SP leader said.
On Thursday, referring to the Pulwama attack, SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav had said, "This was a conspiracy...But, when there will be a change of government, investigations will be done and prominent people will come under the scanner, who had pushed our youth to death to garner votes."
PM Modi termed the statement reprehensible.
"Opposition is the natural habitat of terror apologists and questioners of our armed forces. This reprehensible statement by a senior leader like Ram Gopal Ji insults all those who have given their lives in protecting Kashmir. It humiliates the families of our martyrs," he said.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Ram Gopal Yadav's comments were "big example of dirty politics" and an "attempt to demoralise" security forces. He said the remarks can weaken the morale of jawans.
"He has questioned the sacrifices made by CRPF jawans. He must apologise for this comments."
Such statements will lower the morale of soldiers and raise the morale of terrorist organisations, Adityanath claimed.
On earlier occasion also, Akhilesh has accused the BJP of using the strike to "distract" people.
"The soldiers were martyred and there was an intelligence failure (in the Pulwama attack). What have they (BJP) done for the Army men? People of the country want 'ann' (food) not gun," he had recently said.
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Child rape-murder: Hundreds protest on Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune; traffic hit
Pune (PTI): Hundreds of people blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune to protest the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, leading to traffic disruption on the busy route for about four hours.
The girl's family members and other demonstrators placed the body on the road in the Navale Bridge area on Saturday evening and demanded stringent punishment for the 65-year-old man arrested in the case.
Several videos surfaced showing a huge traffic jam on the highway.
Later, the victim's last rites were performed at the Vaikunt crematorium here shortly after midnight amid tight police security.
The accused man, who works as a labourer and has a criminal record, allegedly lured the girl with the promise of food on Friday in the Bhor tehsil of Pune district. He then took her to a cattle enclosure where he allegedly sexually assaulted her and later killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to the police.
He was arrested based on CCTV footage from a private residence, which captured him with the child.
A case was registered against him under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and he has been remanded in police custody till May 7.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Saturday met the family of the victim, assuring them of strict action against the accused and a fast-track trial.
Describing the incident as "shocking" and a "blot on humanity", Pawar said the government stands firmly with the victim's family and will ensure justice.
She also spoke to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and sought a fast-track court trial so that the accused receives the harshest punishment.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde directed Pune rural police to gather concrete evidence to build a watertight case and conduct the trial in a fast-track court.
Efforts should be made to ensure the accused gets the death penalty, a statement quoted Shinde as saying.
