Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
The essence of democracy lies in the fact that Opposition can raise questions. Often Opposition leaders claim police and authorities aren't doing their job. But what happens where ruling party leaders raise questions – not one or two leaders but several of them?
This is the state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh where MLAs are constantly raising questions on the police and authorities.
BJP MLA from Gorakhpur Radha Mohan Das Agarwal allegedly called UP's Additional Chief Secretary Awnish Awasthi and UP DGP in connection with alleged police inaction in a murder case in Lakhimpur Kheri.
When his call wasn't answered, he tweeted saying that he was forced to tweet after his calls went unanswered. When The Quint reached out to him, he said, “If ministers can answer calls, why not officials?”
What we have learnt is that the DGP had called back MLA Radha Mohan following the tweet.
From Gorakhpur, let's go to Baghpat. Baghpat MLA Yogesh Dhama has accused the police of not being able to check crime in Baghpat. Following the death of BJP leader Sanjay Khokar, Dhama accused state government and police of protecting the criminals.
On 12 August, Iglas MLA Rajkumar Sahyogi accused police personnel of assaulting him. The matter escalated to a point that BJP MP Satish Gautam staged a protest outside the police station with BJP workers.
Shyam Prakas, MLA from Hardoi's Gopamau constituency, tweeted, 'Lord Ram had told Sita, such a day would come when policemen would beat up MLAs. Appeal to Yogi ji to help MLAs.'
Following outrage over this case, the SHO was suspended and the SP was transferred. However, later a video surfaced which showed that Rajkumar Sahyogi was equally involved in the scuffle.
Meanwhile, the Brahmin versus Thakur clash is heating up. BJP MLA from Sultanpur's Lambua constituency, Devmani Dwivedi, has opened a battle against crime against Brahmins in the state. He has asked his own government how many Brahmins have been killed in the last 3 years and how many people have been arrested in connection with these killings. Other leaders have also got involved in this Brahmin vs Thakur clash.
Gyanpur MLA Vijay Mishra, who was arrested in Madhya Pradesh, has accused UP government of going after Brahmins in the state and said that hence he's being targeted.
One thing is for sure. All is not well with the MLAs and police in UP.
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