Yogi Adityanath, Akhilesh Yadav spar in UP assembly: ‘…mitti mein mila donga’

The sixth day of the Budget session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly on Saturday witnessed a rare face-off between chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav over Friday’s broad daylight murder of the prime eyewitness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA.

Soon after the session began, the opposition parties, including Akhilesh Yadav, attacked the BJP-led government over the murder case in which Umesh Pal, the prime eyewitness and one of his security personnel, was killed in the sensational bombs-and-bullets attack in Prayagraj.

Seemingly agitated Adityanath attempted to corner the Samajwadi Party over the incident. “It was the Samajwadi Party which nurtured and protected the mafia Atiq Ahmed and now, they are raising fingers at us. Mafia ko mitti mein mila donga (will eliminate mafias). The Prayagraj incident is very disturbing, but the guilty will not be spared,” Adityanath said in the assembly.

The chief minister also said that his government has a “zero-tolerance policy” against mafia and crime. “The government will act under this zero-tolerance policy in the Prayagraj case, too. Those who are involved in the incident, were they not nurtured and protected by the Samajwadi Party? The Samajwadi Party had made him an MP (Atiq Ahmed),” Adityanath said.

The wife of Umesh Pal has filed a case against Atiq’s family members, including his two sons, in the incident.

“Statements were made that ‘Ladke hai galati kar dete hai’. I am surprised when they talk about democracy. They talk about security in the state…. Sharm to tumhe karni chahiye jo apne baap ka samman nahi kar paye ho (You should be ashamed that you failed to respect your father). Is this how you should behave? I have not named anyone but the remarks which have been made have to be discussed,” the CM said.

Alleging that the Opposition feels “proud” in calling Uttar Pradesh a “bimaru rajya”, the BJP leader said this reveals their intentions for the state.