Keep off my nephew, SP neta tells officials

Letter asks them not to stop kin's truck

A Samajwadi Party legislator has asked the transport officials in black and white not to stop the mini-truck owned by his nephew and “harass” him.

The letter written by Azamgarh legislator Brijlal Sonker to the transport authorities  said his nephew Santosh Sonker was the owner of mini-truck UP 50-AT 2880. “Do not harass him,” the letter, said.

On being confronted on the letter, the MLA was candid enough to admit that he had indeed written it. 

“My nephew brings fruit and other perishable items to Azamgarh from different parts of  the state and outside. Often, his truck is unnecessarily stopped by the transport officials. The fruit starts rotting,” the MLA said, justifying the letter.

“Everyone knows what the transport officials do in the night,” he retorted to another query, indicating that he was referring to bribes demanded by the transport officials from the trucks and other commercial vehicles.

Sources close to the MLA said his nephew had complained that the transport officials did not spare him even though he was related to a ruling party leader.

No effect

The MLA had given verbal instructions to the officials to spare him but it had no effect.  Hence, the written order. The MLA’s letter has put the ruling party as well as the government in an embarrassing situation. 

“It is a serious issue. He should not have done so. The allegations will be probed into and necessary action will be taken,” said SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary.The opposition BJP has sharply criticised the letter. 

“It is nothing but a tactic to terrorise government officials so that they do not act against the truck owner even if he violates the laws,” said BJP spokesman Vjay Bahadur Pathak.

Earlier also, several party MLAs and even ministers had been warned by the SP supremo not to take the law in their hands. But the warnings have fallen on deaf ears.