As I-T raids lone BSP MLA, Yogi minister questions timing, citing his illness

Though there was no official information from the I-T department on why it carried out the raids, sources in BSP said that Uma Shankar Singh was earlier associated with construction business activities.

Stating that the 55-year-old BSP MLA from Rasra in Ballia district was currently in isolation at his residence and has been unable to attend the Assembly session, the BJP minister alleged that even medical staff were not being allowed to enter the premises during the searches.

“At this time, even a nurse or doctor is not being permitted to visit his house. If any harm comes to his life, these insensitive institutions will be responsible,” the minister said, adding that even courts grant relief on compassionate grounds in the rarest of rare cases and questioned whether the action was driven by “political vendetta”.

“May God grant wisdom to such political leaders and institutions,” he added.

According to the minister, Uma Shankar Singh has been undergoing treatment for cancer for the past two years. “Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) helped a lot in his treatment on humanitarian grounds. Prime Minister’s Office too helped by pursuing his case with the US,” he said.

“Politics can be quit, but a daughter cannot be abandoned, and no trust can be placed in politics on someone who can abandon his daughter,” he added.

Dinesh Pratap Singh, who holds the portfolio of Horticulture, Agricultural Marketing, Agricultural Foreign Trade, and Agricultural Exports and is a member of the Legislative Council, is related to Uma Shankar Singh through the marriage of his daughter.

Meanwhile, BSP president Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief also questioned the timing of the I-T Department’s action.

“Since joining the BSP, Umashankar Singh has fulfilled his responsibilities with complete honesty and dedication, and there has been no complaint from his constituency regarding him acquiring property through any illegal means or engaging in any other wrongful activity… If the Income Tax Department had received any complaint against him, it could have taken his health into consideration and questioned him after his recovery. We are not interfering in the functioning of this department, but the manner in which action has been taken against him during his extremely serious illness today is highly unfortunate and against humanity,” Mayawati said in a post on X.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned the basis for the searches.

“The issue is not that a raid has been conducted on the lone BSP MLA. The question is who directs the Income Tax Department on where to carry out raids?” Akhilesh told mediapersons.

“The issue is not that Uma Shankar Singh is the BSP’s lone MLA. The issue is that no one from the BJP faces such raids. If you keep the BJP happy, there will never be a raid at your premises,” he said.

He also claimed that enforcement agencies had previously conducted searches on certain traders and alleged that “BJP leaders are not loyal even to their own”.

Dinesh Pratap was earlier associated with the Congress. He joined the BJP in 2018 ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and was fielded against Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli. Singh had given a strong fight and was able to reduce her victory margin drastically, putting in the best-ever performance by a BJP candidate from the constituency.

BJP fielded him again from the same seat against Rahul Gandhi but failed to breach the Congress bastion.