Opposition attacks Yogi as UP Police cane aspirants protesting irregularities in teachers' recruitment

He also posted a purported video of the police baton-charge on protesters in Lucknow

Rahul Gandhi. Credit: PTI File Photo

The police lathi charge on aspirants in Lucknow, who were protesting against alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teachers in Uttar Pradesh, which left several people injured, triggered sharp reactions from the opposition parties as well as BJP Lok Sabha member Varun Gandhi, who slammed the UP government for using force on those seeking jobs.

The police, on Saturday evening, used force to disperse the protesters while they were undertaking a candle march and tried to move toward the residence of chief minister Yogi Adityanath. They demanded that the state government increase the number of jobs to fill the quota for the SC, ST aspirants and investigate the irregularities in the recruitment of 69 thousand teachers in the state.

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In several videos shared by the opposition leaders, including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav and Varun, police were seen chasing the peaceful protesters and also hitting them with lathis and boots.

''Those demanding jobs get lathis instead under the BJP government....remember this when BJP leaders seek votes from you,'' tweeted Rahul Gandhi even as he also shared a video showing the police action.

''The future teachers are being lathi-charged under the BP regime, which says it wants to make India Vishwa Guru....the youths of today are saying that they don't want BJP,'' SP president Akhilesh Yadav said in a post on his Twitter handle on Sunday.

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Besides the opposition leaders, BJP Lok Sabha member Varun Gandhi also attacked the state government for caning the protesters. ''They are also sons of India....forget about conceding their demands no one is ready to listen to them...and then such brutal treatment....just think would you have behaved in the same way if they were your own children,'' Varun tweeted while sharing a video.

The incident put the BJP on the back foot and party leaders here evaded comments when asked about the same. ''We have no information about the incident,'' remarked a senior state BJP leader when asked for his reaction on the lathi charge.

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