Lucknow: UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath is facing his first major problem and the problem comes from within the government.
At least half a dozen ministers in the Yogi government have issued statements that not only put the government in the dock but also provide ammunition to the Opposition to attack the government as the Budget Session begins from Tuesday.
The latest controversy has been triggered off by Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Prasad Maurya who was related to the five murders in Rae Bareli on June 27.
The chief minister expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation for the families of the victims and ordered arrest of the accused, but Mr Maurya claimed that the victims were criminals and there should be no sympathy for them.
Since the victims were all Brahmins and the accused are OBCs, the matter has now taken a casteist turn and another UP minister Brijesh Pathak has also jumped into the fray by ‘condemning’ Mr Maurya’s statement.
Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar government recently embarassed the government by announcing that he would stage a dharna to seek the transfer of the district magistrate of Ghazipur. The dharna was called off after he was pulled up by the chief minister, but the damage had been done.
Another UP minister Rajendra Pratap Singh (Moti Singh) said at a public meeting last week, the MPs and the MLAs in Pratapgarh were not working for development and the people should blacken their face if they did not show results within a fortnight.
The MP and the MLAs that the minister referred to, belong to BJP and its ally Apna Dal.
Deputy chief minister Keshav Maurya also did his bit when he announced that the government was preparing to abolish minority quota in welfare schemes. As reactions started pouring in, the chief minister asked another minister Ramapati Shastri to deny the same.
UP minister Swati Singh caused major embarrassment to the government firstly when she inaugurated a beer bar and later claimed it was “only a restaurant” and secondly when she was seen distributing “prasad” at a religious event with currency notes placed along side.
The chief minister not only sought an explanation from her but also ignored her at a function, sending a clear message of his displeasure.
Recently, UP minister Jaikumar Singh Jacky (Apna Dal) faced the ire of ABVP workers who burnt his effigy because he did nto have the time to meet them.
Meanwhile, senior UP minister and spokesman for the government Siddhartha Nath Singh downplayed these issues and said, “Some statements are given in one’s personal capacity. The policies of the government are very clear and we will work on them.”
