UP Elections 2017: Akhilesh Yadav discrimination proven, alleges power Minister Piyush Goyal

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Feb 27, 2017:  In its quest for power in UP, the BJP today fired another salvo at the Akhilesh Yadav government claiming that the state government had discriminated between members of different communities in allocating power connections.

Piyush Goel the union Power Minister today said, ’It’s not an empty political charge. It’s a proven fact. A probe was launched after Moradabad parliamentarian Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar raised the issue in a meeting with the prime minister and the findings are there to prove the charge." The minister’s charge comes after PM Narendra Modi’s remark at a rally that "equal power should be provided on Ramzan and Diwali and Eid and Holi".

Mr Goyal said that the Mr Kumar had first contacted the power ministry with his complaint. "It was forwarded to the state government and nothing happened. The MP then met the PM. A central team was sent and as per federal laws there were state electricity department officials too who were involved."

The minister claims that the probe team found that clusters with particular caste and community were provided power connections, while those belonging to another community were ignored.  "The centre proposed that an FIR must be filed against officials behind the deliberate exclusion. But the state government is yet to respond," Mr Goyal said.

The ruling Samajwadi Party, which had strongly contended the Prime Minister’s insinuation, today rejected Mr Goyal’s charge of discrimination.

"There is no substance to this charge. It’s a poll time gimmick by the BJP to polarise votes by targeting on particular community," SP leader, Rajendra Chowdhry, said. 

Adding to his charges, Mr Goyal said, "There is need for change in UP. In the PM’s constituency Varanasi, the centre has outlined projects worth Rs 30,000 crore for the area, but at different stages there is serious lack of cooperation from the state."

The BJP has been targeting the Akhilesh government for inequitable distribution of benefits under central and state schemes in almost every election rally. BJP chief Amit shah, in one of the election rallies, took a dig at the Chief Minister over laptop distribution. He questioned the crowd "Laptop mile?" (Did u get laptops?) After a no from the crowd he adds, "It has benefited members of one caste only."