UP govt perturbed over inspection of schools, hospitals: AAP MP over Somnath Bharti's arrest

Sultanpur (UP): A day after the AAP's Delhi MLA Somnath Bharti was arrested in Uttar Pradesh for his alleged objectionable remarks, party MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday alleged the Yogi Adityanath government was perturbed ever since his party started inspecting the state's schools and hospitals.

Bharti on Monday had ink hurled at him in Rae Bareli and was arrested later for allegedly making objectionable remarks last week. He was remanded to 14 days in judicial custody at Amhat jail in Sultanpur district and his bail plea will be heard on Wednesday.

He was arrested for criminal intimidation and promoting enmity between groups, police said, following remarks allegedly referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the state's hospitals.


On Tuesday, Singh said the AAP's future strategy would be decided after the hearing on bail plea of Bharti is taken up. "It is strange that Bharti is put in jail while the attacker is being felicitated," he said.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal had on Monday claimed that ink was thrown at Bharti while he was going to visit a government school.

"The Uttar Pradesh government is perturbed over inspection of schools and hospitals," Sanjay Singh, who is in-charge of party affairs in the state, told reporters here.

"The Basic Shiksha Adhikaris have been clearly instructed not to allow clicking of pictures of schools in order to ensure that the reality of the schools does not come before the people. The punishment for inspecting schools is jail term in UP and this is what has happened with AAP MLA Somnath Bharti," he alleged.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Monday issued a strong reaction over the arrest, targeting Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"Yogiji, our MLA Somnath Bharti ji was going to see your government school. Ink was thrown at him? Are your schools so bad? If someone goes to see your school then why do you get so scared? Fix the school," Kejriwal tweeted, asking him to consult Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on how to go about it.