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Why Yogi Adityanath’s government in UP is no better than Akhilesh Yadav’s

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Ashok Upadhyay
Ashok UpadhyayJul 03, 2017 | 19:18

Why Yogi Adityanath’s government in UP is no better than Akhilesh Yadav’s

“UP Woman Cop Who Stood Up Against BJP Workers Transferred To Keep The Party's Pride Intact” - screamed a headlined in Huffington Post.

News reports of transfer of police officer Shreshtha Thakur in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, who sent five errant politicians of the ruling BJP to jail, attracted similar headlines across several news platforms.

A few days ago, a viral video in which Thakur was seen chiding the BJP leaders for allegedly breaking traffic rules and demanding relaxation surfaced. She was seen standing up to BJP leader Pramod Lodhi, the husband of a district panchayat member of the BJP.

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Police officials had accused the BJP leaders of resorting to “goondaism and maligning the name of the party”. Thakur’s act had been praised by the people, as she was doing her duty despite pressure from the ruling party.

Her transfer now is being dubbed as routine by the state. But news reports suggested that a delegation of the party’s MLAs and MPs went to CM Yogi Adityanath and linked this issue with pride of the local leaders.

Under pressure, the high command initiated action against Thakur, and she was given a transfer order.

Mukesh Bhardwaj, the party city president, admitted that Thakur’s transfer was essential for keeping the pride of party workers and leaders intact. The local BJP leaders boasted about this episode in local media.

Taking the issue in her stride, Thakur wrote on her Facebook page - “Got transfer to Bahraich, it’s Nepal border, don’t worry my friends I am happy… I accept it as a reward for my good work. U all are invited to Bahraich”.

This is not the first time that police officers who took action against ruling BJP leaders were transferred under the present dispensation.

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The Agra and Saharanpur SSPs who took on BJP and RSS workers some time earlier were also transferred after representations from party leaders.

In April, FIRs were filed against BJP MP Raghav Lakhanpal and others in connection with clashes that broke out in Saharanpur. Later, they attacked the home of SSP Luv Kumar. The action taken was that the government transferred the police officer.

Similarly, Agra’s senior superintendent of police Preetinder Singh was transferred apparently for taking action against members of the Bajrang Dal, who assaulted a police officer.

Around three years ago, in August 2013, a Samajwadi Party leader Narinder Bhati created nationwide uproar. A video purportedly showed him claiming that he had got a UP-cadre IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who clamped down on the mining mafia, transferred in “41 minutes”.

While addressing a rally in Gautam Budh Nagar, he said: “I spoke to Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav at 10.30 am and at 11 am, the suspension order arrived. She behaved so badly and couldn’t last for 40 minutes after that.”

The IAS officer was served the suspension order ostensibly for demolishing the wall of a mosque. This was just an excuse. In reality, she had cracked down on the mining mafia. The IAS officer had lodged an FIR against a close aide of Bhati in the sand mining case.

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SP leader Bhati was the UP agro chairman and enjoyed ministerial status. Initially, even CM Akhilesh defended his government and termed the action as “valid”. The outrage over the upright officer’s suspension pushed the state government into a corner and later she was reinstated.

Be it Durga Shakti Nagpal or Shreshtha Thakur, if an honest and upright officer is going by the law book and not following diktats of politicians of the ruling dispensation, they have to be punished. It doesn’t matter if the state is ruled by Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party or Yogi Adityanath of the BJP.

It seems that just character and faces change, the situation doesn’t. To our governments, Narinder Bhati or Pramod Lodhi matter, not honest Durga Shakti Nagpal or Shreshtha Thakur.

And the thumb rule for officers is - don’t touch leaders of the ruling party, even if they are breaking laws or indulging in anti-social activities.

Last updated: July 03, 2017 | 19:18
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