Mayawati denies getting angry letter from Gupta

The Union Home Minister was understood to have written to her to ensure that her government acted in a non-political and impartial manner. He had added that even if there was an iota of truth in the allegations of repression against the Samajwadi Party workers, it created a bad impression on the functioning of the government.According to official sources, Mayawati, in her letter sent to the Union Home Minister, denied the allegations about harassment of Samajwadi Party workers in the state.

The Chief Minister was reported to have referred to her earlier letter written to the Governor of Uttar Pradesh in this regard, a copy of which was also sent to the Union Home Minister.In her letter, she gave details of the anti-crime drive launched in the state, resulting in the arrest of 98,742 criminals.

It also showed a comparative reduction in crime in the first fortnight of May 1997.The Chief Minister also sought to point out in her letter that a minor incident in Mainpuri was blown out of proportion and given a communal twist. In this case, a vegetable vendor was accidentally shot dead and the assailant belonged to the Samajwadi Party, she alleged.The Chief Minister said a procession on the occasion of Moharrum deviated from its prescribed route in Haridwar at the last moment without any prior intimation to the district administration.

This led to isolated incidents of violence in which one person was killed. When police tried to prevent further tension, one constable was killed by a mob of people allegedly belonging to the Samajwadi Party, she said.She blamed the Samajwadi Party for stoking the dormant issue of Shia Tazia procession in Lucknow. However the issue was astutely handled by the government, she added.