Currency notes fly, cops toss caps as UP minister celebrates

Even as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav works hard to rid the Samajwadi Party of the ‘goonda’ image, his cabinet colleagues seem to be bent on thwarting the efforts and cause more embarrassment.

Newly appointed chairman of the UP Essential Commodities Corporation chairman Haji Iqram Qureshi, who enjoys the minister of state status, virtually held Moradabad to ransom for several hours when he arrived in the town on Tuesday from the state capital.

Currency notes flew in the air as jubilant SP supporters danced on the streets unmindful of the inconvenience being caused to the ordinary commuters.

The cops, who had been entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining order, joined the party and were seen dancing with the SP supporters.

Some of the men in khaki were caught on camera tossing their caps in the air while some were seen putting them on the heads of the SP workers.

The minister, who had been offered a garland of currency notes, was seen displaying it with pride. A few shots also rang out in the air.

Iqram is the latest in the long list of SP ministers who had caused embarrassment to the Chief Minister ever since he masterminded his party’s landslide in the elections.

Minister of state Natwar Goyal was recently sacked after he held a journalist hostage for several hours for taking pictures of a building he had constructed illegally.

Vinod Singh, another minister, had to be sacked after he allegedly  kidnapped a senior health official to force him to appoint his candidates as doctors

A few months ago Akhilesh's uncle and PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, while speaking at a meeting of the PWD officials, openly advocated graft saying that they could “steal a little if they work hard.”

Another minister openly threatened that he would kill those indulging in corruption while senior minister Azam Khan called the police officials “dalals” (brokers).