Former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of turning the state into a ‘Hatya Pradesh’.
He said due to the large number of murders taking place in the state, it had become a “murder state”.
Speaking to media, the Samajwadi Party chief said, “Yeh Uttar Pradesh jo ‘Uttam Pradesh’ kahlaya jana chahiye tha aaj ‘Hatya Pradesh’ kaha ja raha hai. Yahan hatyayen lagataar ho rahi hain (Uttar Pradesh, which was supposed to be known for its development, has turned into a state of murders. Murders are taking place here on a regular basis).”
Akhilesh Yadav was speaking to the media following the murder of journalist Ashish Dhiman and his younger brother Ashutosh Dhiman in Saharanpur. They were reportedly killed by their neighbours over a dispute over disposal of cow dung.
Akhilesh Yadav slammed the BJP for practising the divide and rule policy for political gains. He stressed that the saffron party was exploiting the people of the country like the colonial rulers during the British Raj.
Earlier in the day, a 28-year-old man was allegedly set ablaze by three brothers over old enmity in Banda district of Bundelkhand region. He succumbed to his injuries in a Kanpur hospital. In his dying declaration, Haseeb (victim) alleged that the three brothers — Kallu Pirihaa, Raja and Raju Tripathi — poured kerosene over him and set him on fire, according to a police officer.
In July, at least 10 people were killed and 28 were left injured after over 200 people opened fire on a group of tribal farmers in Umbha village of Sonbhadra district.
The incident gained national prominence and Congress-led opposition came together to lambast the Yogi Adityanath government for letting such a massacre take place under its watch.
Meanwhile, in the Unnao rape case, the victim is currently battling for life in AIIMS after the vehicle she was travelling in with some of her family members was rammed by a truck last month. Two of her aunts died in the accident.
MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar is the prime accused in the 2017 rape case. The CBI investigating the case has also accused the MLA of murder of two aunts of rape victim who died in road accident.
