BJP giving ‘undue importance’ to Gorakhpur temple attack incident, says Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday criticised the ruling BJP for giving “undue importance” to the incident of attack on Gorakhpur temple security personnel by a 30-year-old IIT graduate.

Late on Sunday night, Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi tried to enter the Gorakhnath temple premises, and when the security personnel tried to stop him, he attacked them with a sickle, injuring two constables of Provincial Armed Constabulary.

”His father has said that he had some psychiatric problems and has bipolar issues. I think that aspect shall also be seen,” the SP president told media here. ”BJP believes in making a mountain out of a molehill,” said Akhilesh, who was here in connection with the MLC elections. The case is currently being investigated by a joint team of Special Task Force (STF) and Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of UP Police. Investigators suspect that Abbasi was “self-radicalised”.

Gorakhnath temple premises also house residence of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is the head priest of the temple. The CM was not inside at the time of the attack.

Akhilesh also spoke on the issue of arrest of three Ballia journalists in connection with Class 12 papers leak of UP Board examination.

“Even journalists are not safe under the BJP rule. Journalists were arrested for exposing Sanskrit and English paper leak of board exam in Ballia. This is despicable,” he said.

Terming BJP as the “serial-killer of the public system”, Akhilesh alleged that the party has become an expert in looting votes. The former chief minister also accused the BJP of allowing ripping of clothes of female candidates in Lakhimpur, and of tearing the nomination papers of SP candidates in Etah and Farrukhabad during the MLC nomination process, to say “BJP neither has faith in the Constitution, nor in law and the public system.” He expressed hope that officials will conduct the legislative council elections in a free and fair manner.

His party is working with dedication to ensure the victory of its candidates and it will win maximum seats, he said.

Asked about apparent estrangement with senior leader and family relative Shivpal Singh Yadav, Akhilesh asked media to not “waste time on such things”.

Shivpal Yadav, who contested the state polls on an SP ticket, is showing signs of unease in the opposition coalition and is apparently getting close to the BJP.

The SP leader also alleged that ever since the BJP has come to power, incidents of dacoity and loot have increased and cited many such incidents.