HYDERABAD: Calling for an independent probe into the alleged murder of an Apple executive by a police official in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief Asaduddin blamed the incident on the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath government’s “promotion of violence in the State”.
Speaking to media persons on Monday, the Hyderabad MP said, “The Uttar Pradesh government is promoting a culture of violence. There is no rule of law in the State.” He added that since the BJP government came into power, minorities and Dalits were being targeted in the name of encounters.
Owaisi termed the Lucknow incident as “murder” and also called for a probe into the deaths of Naushad and Mushtaqeem in Aligarh who were allegedly killed in encounters. “Their (Naushad’s and Mushtaqeem’s) deaths, too, should be condemned. Will any UP minister visit their parents?”
Slamming the apparent impunity with which Uttar Pradesh police operate, Owaisi said, “The UP police should take a lesson from the Manipur encounter killings case which is currently in the Supreme Court. Just because you are killing on the advice of a government doesn’t mean you are immune from legal consequences. The government is not going to be there forever and people will approach a court. What will happen then?”
Owaisi also said that the incident reflected badly on Prime Minister Narendra Modi because he is an MP from the State. Terming the UP government as “Thakur Raj”, he said, “It is understandable why people (from other communities) are angry. It is a known fact that whoever the UP CM is, the community to which he belongs to rules the State.”