Deaths during protests: Adityanath says nothing can save those with death wish
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Wednesday defended police over the deaths of anti-CAA protesters, saying they were shot by other rioters and nothing can be done to save someone with a death wish.
Wrapping up the discussion in the state assembly on the Governor's address, Adityanath said the role of the police in dealing with rioters during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act should be appreciated.
In hard-hitting remarks, the chief minister said his government supported democratic protests but will maintain law and order by dealing strictly with those indulging in violence.
Jo jis bhasha main samjhega, usey uss bhasha main samjhayenge (We will talk to them in the language they understand), he warned.
About 20 people died of gunshot wounds during violent protests in several parts of Uttar Pradesh in December.
If someone is coming with an intention to die, how can he remain alive? Adityanath said.
If someone comes out to kill an innocent person and he is challenged by police, then either he or the policemen have to die, he added.
The CM said nobody died of a police bullet during the protests.
Rioters died of rioters' bullets, he said, repeating the claim made earlier by police.
He claimed that the anti-CAA protests revealed terror funding by Popular Front of India, which is said is another name for banned terror group SIMI.
"Any sympathy for them means, support to the PFI and SIMI. Those who do treason with country, will die an anonymous death (gumnam maut)," he said.
He said criminals don't want their sons and daughters to become criminals, but some big leaders had sent their daughters amidst those who raise anti-national slogans.
The chief minister claimed that azadi slogans were being raised during the protests.
What kind of 'azadi'? We have to see whether we want to fulfil the dreams of Bapu or Jinnah," he said, referring to the founder of Pakistan.
During his two-hour speech, Adityanath trashed the opposition charges against him on crime and women empowerment.
In an indirect reference to the Samajwadi Party, he recalled how in the past MLAs "used to throw paper balls" at the podium during the Governor's customary address to the House.
"Those who insulted the Constitution are today trying to preach us about the Constitution. It's better they keep off or they will be badly exposed," he said.
Without naming former chief minister and Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Adityanath recalled his controversial boys will be boys remark and mocked the opposition for speaking on women empowerment.
While opposing capital punishment for rape, Mulayam Singh Yadav had sparked an outrage by saying "ladke, ladke hain... galti ho jati hai (boys will be boys... they commit mistakes)."
Adityanath cited the police firing on 'kar sevaks' gathered in Ayodhya on October 30, 1990, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister.
He also trained his guns at the Congress, referring to the infamous "tandoor case" in which former Youth Congress leader Sushil Sharma spent 23 years in Tihar Jail for killing his wife Naina Sahni and then trying to dispose of her body in a restaurant tandoor.
"These parties have the cheek to call themselves champions of women empowerment," he said.
The chief minister said when the governor spoke on 'Ramrajya' in her address, it did not have any religious connotations.
He said Ramrajya does not mean governance through religion. The country needs Ramrajya' not 'Samajwad', the chief minister said.
"My government is determined on Ramrajya, which means governance for public welfare, he said.
He listed his government's achievements during the past three years. "It takes time to cleanse the system, age-old garbage cannot be removed overnight," he said.
Using a computer tablet, he cited data to claim that the crime rate has come down during his term.
The House passed the motion of thanks on the Governor's address by voice vote.
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ED raids Kolkata Police deputy commissioner, businessman in PMLA probe
Kolkata (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Sunday conducted raids at the premises of Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sinha Biswas and a local businessman as part of a money laundering probe against an alleged criminal and his linked syndicate in the poll-bound state, officials said.
Two premises of Biswas, including his residence in Ballygunge area and one location of the businessman named Joy Kamdar, Managing Director of a company named Sun Enterprise, have been raided under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Kamdar has been taken by the officials to the local ED office for questioning. Biswas, chief coordinator and nodal officer of the West Bengal and Kolkata Police welfare committee, was not present at his premises, they said.
The action is linked to a money laundering case against an alleged local criminal named Biswajit Podder alias Sona Pappu, who is booked in multiple cases on charges of attempted murder and extortion.
The federal probe agency had conducted the first round of searches in this case on April 1.
The ED had then seized cash of Rs 1.47 crore apart from gold jewellery and silver valued at Rs 67.64 lakh and a country-made revolver from some premises that were searched.
The probe stems from a Kolkata Police FIR against against Podder for his alleged involvement in rioting, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and Arms Act violations. The accused, including Podder, were engaged in organised criminal syndicate activities in the state of West Bengal and generated funds illegally by way of syndicate operations, the ED said in a statement on April 9.
Podder is also wanted by the police in a case of violence in Kankulia road near Golpark of Kolkata and is currently on the run.
The ED has issued summons to Podder but he has failed to join the investigation so far, according to the agency.
West Bengal will have a two phase poll on April 23 and April 29.
