A Uttar Pradesh minister has described the incident of a journalist who was burnt to death as ‘law of nature’.
“There are some incidents which are pre-decided. It is the law of the nature,” Horticulture Minister Paras Nath Yadav said.
Jagendra Singh was allegedly set on fire by policemen on June 1 during a raid at his Awaas Vikas Colony house in Sadar Bazar, Shahjahanpur.
A cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh has been accused of orchestrating the murder.
Minister Paras Nath Yadav’s remark has sparked an outrage online, and many are demanding justice for the slain journalist.
The government has meanwhile said it would not sack any of its ministers without probe.
“We will not sack anyone as allegations were levelled earlier also but proved baseless after probe. Be it the Badaun case (alleged rape of Dalit sisters) or allegations against minister Raja Bhaiya (Raghuraj Pratap Singh)... all were proved wrong. Raja Bhaiya was given clean chit by CBI later,” Cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav said.
Singh’s family had registered an FIR against minister Verma and five others including policemen at Puwayan police station of Shahjahanpur after he died during treatment at a hospital here on June 8.
The video of his dying declaration showed Jagendra Singh stating, “Why did they have to burn me? If the minister and his goons had a grudge, they could have beaten me instead of pouring kerosene and burning me.”
(With inputs from PTI)