Accusations of Casteism and Political Retaliation
In a recent development in Uttar Pradesh, the killing of a notorious criminal, Mangesh Yadav, in a police encounter has sparked a political controversy. The Special Task Force (STF) gunned down Yadav, who had a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on his head, early Thursday morning in Sultanpur. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders, particularly Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav.
Akhilesh Yadav’s Critique
Akhilesh Yadav has accused the Yogi Adityanath-led government of bias and casteism. In a statement on social media, Yadav questioned the legitimacy of the encounter, alleging that Yadav was targeted because of his caste and suggesting that the encounter was a facade to cover up the ruling party’s connections with other criminals involved in a recent robbery. He criticized the use of encounters as a tool for political gain and called for real law and order instead of “fake encounters.”
Yadav also demanded that the government compensate victims of the robbery and address the mental trauma caused by such incidents. He alleged that the ruling party’s connections led to preferential treatment for some criminals while others were subjected to arbitrary violence.
Responses from BJP and JDU
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) [JDU] have responded strongly to Yadav’s comments. BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi took a dig at Yadav by referencing a popular film song, suggesting that Yadav shows undue concern when criminals of the same caste are involved. Tripathi defended the Yogi government’s stance on crime, stating that it shows no mercy to criminals and criticized Yadav for his selective empathy.
JDU leader Neeraj Kumar also weighed in, accusing Yadav of politicizing judicial actions and questioning his record as Chief Minister. Kumar argued that political leaders should refrain from making statements on judicial matters and focus on addressing past failures.
Details of the Sultanpur Incident
The encounter occurred on the morning of September 5, following a significant robbery at Bharat Ji Jewellery in Sultanpur on August 28, where valuables worth crores were stolen. During the encounter, Yadav was shot and killed, and the police recovered weapons and stolen jewelry from the scene. One accomplice managed to escape.
The Sultanpur encounter has thus become a focal point of political debate, with accusations and counter-accusations dominating the discourse as parties vie for public support in the run-up to the upcoming elections.