Bahraich violence orchestrated, journalist who shot video thrashed: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow, Oct 17: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday alleged that the communal violence in Bahraich district was deliberately orchestrated by the state administration.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also wondered why there was "no police security" when "such a big event" was being organised.
Yadav alleged the BJP was working on the British's "Divide and Rule" policy and also claimed that the journalist who shot a video of the first breakout of violence was thrashed by the BJP workers.
Violence broke out in Maharajganj in the Mahsi tehsil of Bahraich district on Sunday allegedly over loud music being played outside a place of worship during a Durga Puja immersion procession.
Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, part of the passing group, died of a gunshot wound in the ensuing violence.
The death triggered a series of flagrant incidents in the area with angry mobs torching several houses, shops, showrooms, hospitals, and vehicles.
"This is the failure of the Bahraich administration and the government. They talk about zero tolerance and conduct every event very peacefully. So why was there no police security when such a big event was being organised?" Yadav asked, speaking to reporters in Lucknow.
"Was the administration not aware of how and what was happening there?" he said.
The SP president also raised questions about the use of firearms during the arrest of the men accusing of being involved in the killing, and said the government "ruined" the police of the state.
"This is a matter of a neighbouring district. You must know better than I do that this incident (Bahraich violence) did not happen, but was deliberately orchestrated," he said.
"I have even heard that the journalist who made the first video of the procession in Bahraich was injured in his hands or legs. BJP workers beat him. If they are beating journalists or sending them to jail in false cases, then one can surmise what they must be hiding," Yadav said.
He said that his party will ensure that grieving families get justice.
"Britishers gave divide and rule slogan. This government is working on it and the common man knows this," Yadav said.
Earlier in the day, police in Bahraich arrested five men, wounding two with gunshots in an encounter. The arrests were made in connection with the Sunday killing.
Police have so far registered 11 FIRs and arrested 55 suspects in connection with the Sunday murder and subsequent violence, according to officials.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
