Arun told ET that the “unbiased inquiry” into every act of crime has become the Yogi Adityanath administration’s hallmark and helped officers work without the fear of running into conflict with leaders of the ruling party.Alleging that the previous SP government was entrenched with hooliganism, land mafia and the rule of gangsters, Arun, who has handled sensitive investigations such as the inquiry into the Kanpur blast and other terror networks in the state, said: “Earlier, the officers would always be under pressure … calls would be made by vidhayaks (MLAs) to police stations asking for the processes to be circumvented. Many criminals were let out during the SP rule. Now, even when the MLAs call the police stations, they know the law is supreme, no investigation can be derailed. This is why the administration works without fear.”SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav has specifically asked the Election Commission to probe Arun’s tenure and also oust officers who have worked with him. There was an understanding between Arun and the BJP for a smooth political entry, Yadav has alleged, demanding that his work as Kanpur police commissioner be investigated too.”By giving tickets to gunda and mafias, the SP has made clear its intention of bringing back gundaraj,” Lal said in a press conference in Lucknow on Tuesday. “The tickets given by the SP to Nahid Hasan of Kairana, Dholana’s Aslam Chaudhary, Bulandshahr Haji Yunus, Meerut’s Rafiq Ansari, Madan Bhaiya from Loni, Amarpal Sharma from Sahibabad, Dilnawaz Ansari from Syana – these are names not only familiar within the state but also in neighbouring states,” he said.Accusing the SP, Lal said: “When they go to Vidhan Sabha, what work they will do for public? Akhilesh Yadav will have to answer this question. I don’t think he would have this answer because he is their chief,” he said, adding: “Do you want to see Asim Arun at your doorstep or candidates like Hasan?”DALIT CAUSEArun, a 1994-batch IPS officer and a former chief of the state’s anti-terror squad, is an alumnus of St Stephens College, New Delhi. He also happens to be a Jatav, a Dalit sub-caste. Lal, who was Mayawati’s most trusted officer when she was the CM, is also a prominent Dalit face. He had also helmed the UP SC/ST Commission.Arun said the Dalits got not just respect but also opportunities under the BJP rule. “The BJP government’s move to develop places associated with BR Ambedkar as panch teerth is the biggest tribute to him … In the last five years, in UP there have hardly been incidents of desecrating symbols that are precious to Dalits, even Babasaheb’s statues. Earlier, hooligans would do it every often and there would be no action. This is a big thing for the community.”Lal took on the SP for constituting a ‘Baba Sahab Vahini’, its SC wing, and called it a matter of “joke”. He said when Azam Khan called Baba Sahab Ambedkar a “mafia” in 2014, Akhilesh Yadav was seen applauding in the audience. “Also, his father (Mulayam Singh Yadav) had got a Bill in 2004 that if a Dalit wants to sell his land, then he doesn’t need permission from the DM. The DM rider was there to ensure gundas and anti-social elements don’t get lands of Dalits registered in their names by cheating and it was due to minister Kaushal Kishore then who protested, which was why it was held back. Otherwise, they would have made all Dalits landless,” he said. However, the law was ultimately passed by the Akhilesh Yadav government in 2015.
Source: Economic Times
