Netaji followers set streets afire

Clashes with police were reported from various spots and hundreds of party workers were taken into custody.

The workers took to the streets as part of the campaign called,“BSP hatao,Pradesh bachao”,with women leading from the front.

In Lucknow,several leaders,including Bhagwati Singh,Leader of Opposition Shivpal Singh Yadav and MP Sushila Saroj were detained. Three busloads of SP activists were sent to the Lucknow jail and the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob.

“Several of our senior leaders,including Bhagwati Singh and Shivpal Yadav,were intentionally targeted at the behest of the Mayawati government,” said SP spokesperson Rajendra Choudhury. The MPs and MLAs,he said,were manhandled by the police af8ter being taken into custody.

The call for the three-day agitation was given by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav during the party’s state executive meet in Gorakhpur in February. It was in protest against the all-round deterioration in law and order,crime against women — particularly the involvement of ruling party MLAs in incidents of rape — and the rampant corruption in the BSP government. The aim was to bring the state machinery to a grinding halt by laying siege to government offices and locking the offices of district magistrates.

“The success of the agitation is established by the massive crackdown by the state,the party will intensify the agitation in remaining two days,” said Chowdhary.

As announced by the party,the workers locked the three gates of the secretariat annexe at 7 am — the police removed the locks later. The activists also disrupted rail traffic in Banda district where a train was stopped for an hour. In Lakhimpur Kheri,they forced the closure of government offices and locked the main gate of the collectorate and the office of Chief Development Officer. The demonstrations disrupted traffic at several spots in Meerut,Allahabad,Varanasi,Kanpur and other cities.

While the SP claimed over one lakh partymen were arrested,Special DGP (law and Order) Brij Lal said only 2,327 leaders and cadres were arrested. They include six MPs and 18 MLAs.

He,however,denied that the SP leaders had locked the three gates of the secretariat annexe and contradicted the charge of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav that he was put under house arrest. The SP chief’s Vikramaditya Marg residence was barricaded from outside to prevent cadres from reaching the Raj Bhawan,he said.

“‘There are no reports of any disruption in rail and road traffic and no reports of arson and damage to public property,” said Brij Lal. “In view of the agitation on 8 and 9 March,elaborate security arrangements have been made across the state.”

Barring stray incidents of lathicharge in some districts including Lucknow,no untoward incident was reported.

“Not a single tear gas shell or a rubber bullet was fired by the police,” he said. “The commercial establishments,schools,colleges and government offices functioned normally. There is no report of any disruption in the board examinations.”

The peace prevailed due to the strict compliance of the Allahabad High Court order by the police,he said.

The HC had directed that in case of arson and damage to public property during dharnas and demonstrations,the leader/political party will be held accountable and FIRs will be lodged against them. If the charges are established,the cost of damages are to be recovered as land revenue. If the police is found lax in enforcing law and protecting public property,they will be held accountable,the order further said.