It’s time to shunt double engine govt to sicklines: SP

Lucknow: Attacking the ruling BJP over its claims of “double engine government”, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said the train is stranded in the yard and collecting rust.
He said it was time for the train to be shunted to ‘sicklines’ for good.
“Even the team of observers which was sent to Lucknow by the BJP’s central leadership has realised that since the days of the government are numbered, there is no point in making amends.The BJP government stood helpless when widespread misery swept the state in the form of Covid-19 pandemic. People were left to die due to the shortage of medicines and lack of treatment,” Akhilesh said.
“Those who excel in finding an opportunity in disaster went on a plundering spree. All that the BJP did was to roll out one propaganda after another in the name of governance to divert the attention of the people,” he added.
He also took on the UP Chief Minister for his tall claims on zero tolerance towards crime and criminals. He said at least 11 families living in houses near Gorakhnath temple were being pressured to vacate their houses and go elsewhere. “As many as 4,132 illegal firearms were seized but no action was initiated against people who were selling these weapons,” Akhilesh said in a statement on Monday.
He cited the recent incidents of the rape of two sisters and their friend in Lakhimpur Kheri, kidnapping and gangrape of a girl in Azamgarh, sexual assault on a student in Izzatnagar while she was out with two classmates and the rape of another girl in Raniganj.
“In Achalganj, a 9-year-old girl was raped while a minor was kidnapped and found murdered after his family failed to pay the ransom demanded by the abductor. All this has happened in the last few days but the government claims that crime is under control in UP,” he said.
Akhilesh said hundreds of people lost their lives in the last four years after consuming hooch being sold from government licensed outlets but the government failed to check the menace.
“Even the business community is facing the heat now. In Moradabad, the owner of a company dealing in spare parts was kidnapped and later murdered. In Lucknow, traders and businessmen have been targeted and murdered in broad daylight but the government claims everything is under control,” he said.