Yogi-Akhilesh in fiery exchange as SP raises killing of key witness in MLA murder

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav had a fiery exchange in the state assembly on Saturday over the sensational killing of a key witness in the murder case of an MLA in Prayagraj with the former accusing the latter of 'patronising' mafias.

Adityanath, who was speaking on the motion of thanks on the governor's speech, displayed unusual aggression toward Akhilesh when the latter raised the killing of Umesh Pal, who was a key witness in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, in Prayagraj on Friday evening in full public view, and even mentioned what he termed the 'humiliation' of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav by him (Akhilesh).

''Sharm karni chahiye tumko ki tum apne baap ka samman bhi nahin kar sake'' (you should be ashamed of yourself as you could not give respect to your father), a fiery Adityanath said apparently retorting to Akhilesh's remarks that the BJP government should be ashamed over the incident in Prayagraj and questioned if it was the 'Ramrajya' the saffron party talked about.

Adityanath also accused Akhilesh of 'patronising' mafia elements. ''who is patronising the mafias and criminals?.....you (Akhilesh) had made him (mafia don Ateeq Ahmed, whose goons are suspected to have perpetrated the crime) MP......you shelter the criminals and raise law and order issues in the assembly,'' the chief minister said.

''Is it not a fact that the mafia against whom the FIR has been lodged was made an MP by the SP?.....you (SP) garland the criminals and then blame us for the crimes,'' he went on to add.

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The SP members took strong exception to Adityanath's remarks mentioning Mulayam and slammed the CM over the kind of 'language' used by him.

Umesh Pal and his security guard were shot dead in Dhoomanganj area in Prayagraj on Friday evening in full public view by unidentified assailants while Pal was on his way back home. According to police sources, another security guard of Pal's suffered serious injuries and was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.

The assailants fired 14 rounds and also threw bombs at Pal and his security guards. An FIR was later lodged naming Ateeq Ahmed, his wife Shaista Parveen, his brother Ashraf and his two sons. Fourteen people, including Ateeq's two sons, were taken into custody in this regard. Ateeq and Ashraf were accused of the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal.