Mulayam asks UP ministers to behave

Respect the law, SP supremo tells unbridled party leaders

Concerned over ministers in his chief minister son’s cabinet and other party leaders breaking the law, and the rising anger  over this among bureaucrats and common people, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has appealed to them to exercise restraint and behave better.

“It is my appeal to you all to respect the law and conduct yourselves in a better way,” said Mulayam, who was visibly upset over the attempted abduction of a chief medical officer in Gonda by minister of state for revenue and rehabilitation Vinod Singh.

“If we also break the law, how will we be different from the previous regime? We have to prove to people that we are different,” he said, desperate to get rid of the ‘goonda raj’ tag on his son Akhilesh Yadav’s government.

Incidentally, while Mulayam was giving lessons to party leaders, supporters of Vinod Singh, who was sacked earlier in the day, were ransacking the CMO’s office in Gonda and raising anti-Akhilesh slogans.

Mulayam’s concern is not unfounded.

He knows only too well that the previous Mayawati regime had been voted out by people mainly due to the misdeeds of her ministers and legislators.

Earlier too, Mulayam had tried to rein in his legislators and ministers, and even warned them of serious consequences if they did not behave. But his directives seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

The Akhilesh Yadav government has faced embarrassment from the deeds of its ministers during its over six-month stint.

Only recently Akhilesh’s uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav, while speaking at a meeting of PWD officials, had openly advocated graft.

He was caught on camera telling officials they could steal a little if they worked hard.
A few days later Shivpal threatened journalists with arrest if they pressed him to answer their queries.

Another minister, Raj Kishore Singh, had threatened to “kill” officials if they indulged in corruption. “If anyone embezzles even a rupee, I will kill him or resign from my post,” Kishore had said.

Senior minister Azam Khan has embarrassed the chief minister with his outbursts, when he dubbed police as “dalals” (middlemen).

“You people sell khaki (police uniform) for money. You are dalals,” Khan had said at a function.

An Samajwadi Party MLA was recently booked on charge of rape in Budaon district.
Concerned over the deeds and remarks, and their adverse effect on the image of his son Akhilesh,  Mulayam had called a meeting of ministers to give them tips on governance and maintaining discipline.

Mulayam had made it clear that he was not happy with the performance of Uttar Pradesh  ministers.