Days after nine Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging “blatant misuse” of central agencies, senior BJP leader and UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Thursday hit out at Akhilesh Yadav and said those who wrote the letter were indulged in corruption. Addressing the media at the BJP headquarters in Lucknow, Pathak questioned the Opposition leaders' “intentions” behind writing the letter. “They want to cover up their own corruption by levelling allegations against the investigation agencies and the Central government. Several leaders of these political parties are either in jail or are out on bail,” Pathak said. “Do these parties not want action against corruption? Do these parties want to protect corrupts,” he asked. Claiming that there was a “long list of scams in SP rule”, Pathak alleged that whenever the SP was in power in the state, there were large-scale corruption and loot of public money. "If there is an award for corrupts, then SP president and former CM Akhilesh should be awarded “Bhrastachar Bhushan”,” he added. “As the investigation agencies are proceeding fairly in their investigation in these cases, it has created fear among people. Our government is working in a transparent manner and without any discrimination. The public understands the lies and intentions of the leaders of Opposition parties. And everyone’s trust is maintained in PM (Narendra Modi) and the BJP,” Pathak said.
