SP refuses to blink on Durga

The standoff between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress-led UPA continued Monday as SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav defended the decision to suspend IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal as “correct” and “final”. Asked if the suspension order would be revoked,he replied with a firm “no”.

Meanwhile,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said,“We are in touch with the state government to find out the full details… There are rules laid down and the rules will be followed.”

In Lucknow,Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said,“There may be many children who would have received a beating from their teachers and parents when they did something wrong… the government is also run like this… whenever any official does something wrong,he is punished”.

Party spokesperson Ram Gopal Yadav said,“If the Centre wants to intervene,it can remove all the IAS officers from UP. We will run the state with our own officers.” — with ENS,Lucknow