Samajwadi Party-led government abetting lawlessness in UP: BJP

NEW DELHI: Latching on to the allegations made by a senior IPS officer against Mulayam Singh Yadav, BJP today alleged that it showed how the Samajwadi Party government was abetting lawlessness from "top to bottom", and said that a team of party office-bearers has been sent to "assess" the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.

Hitting out at Akhilesh Yadav who earlier in the day defended his father saying that he did nothing wrong by scolding the officer, BJP said the Chief Minister's Office was "protecting" criminals and harassing the common man.

"We have seen how a journalist was set on fire and a woman was burnt to death in a police station. Now we have this case of Mulayam Singh Yadav threatening a police officer. It is clear that the SP government from top to bottom is encouraging lawlessness," BJP secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

"Instead of ordering a proper investigation, Akhilesh does a cover-up," he said, alleging that "jungle raaj" prevailed in the state.

A four-member committee, constituted by BJP to enquire into these recent cases, has reached Barabanki, where a woman was allegedly burnt inside a police station.

MP Ashwani Chaubey is the convener of the panel which comprises M J Akbar, Arjun Meghwal and Meenakshi Lekhi.

The team is likely to submit its report later this week. Amitabh Thakur, an Inspector General-rank officer, had recently filed a complaint with the police against Mulayam, alleging that the SP chief threatened him with dire consequences if he does not "mend" his ways and also released the audio recording of the conversation.