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Journalism of Courage
As protestors against the abolition of nine districts get violent with each passing day, a harried Uttar Pradesh government is finding it hard to contain the discontent.
Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav also has no answers to queries from the Opposition and his own party MLAs as to why four districts in which the SP has interests, directly or indirectly, were left out. ‘‘Why were Baghpat (Ajit Singh) and Kannauj (Akhilesh Yadav) left. I am going to take part in the demonstration against abolition of Ayriyan district on January 20,’’ SP MLA Kamlesh Pathak said.
In Basti, the administration clamped prohibitory orders after 15 cops and protestors sustained injuries. The CM is unfazed with the violence. ‘‘There is no question of going back on the decision as it has been taken in the general interest of the people. Creation of these districts was politically motivated but the decision to abolish them is based on facts which stated that these would continue to be wasteful expenditure, if not abolished,” Mulayam said.
‘‘The protest has assumed the shape of a mass movement and no leader should dare to face such a movement for his or her political future. The BJP will revert the decision after coming to power,’’ claimed state BJP chief Vinay Katiyar.
The decision not to disband some districts, recommended for abolishment by the Revenue Board, has also raised eyebrows. The CM also spared Kannauj, son Akhilesh’s LS constituency, which was on the Revenue Board’s list of districts that could be abolished. ‘‘The decision was taken with a malafide intention to abolish districts named after Dalit icons to spread the message that Mulayam will reverse all decisions of Mayawati,’’ state BSP chief Swami Prasad Maurya said.
