Mayawati questions timing of arrests by Uttar Pradesh ATS as politics over issue hots up

After Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, BSP supremo Mayawati also raised questions on Monday on the Uttar Pradesh police's claim of arresting two Al Qaeda-linked terrorists in the state capital, saying such an action ahead of assembly polls leads to doubts in the minds of people.

”If the UP police's claims of busting a terrorist conspiracy in Lucknow and the arrest of two people having links with Al Qaeda are right, then it is a very serious matter and appropriate action should be taken, but no politics should be done in its garb, as such an apprehension has been expressed," she tweeted in Hindi.

The former chief minister raised the issue of the timing of the arrests.

"This type of action only when the UP Assembly elections are approaching creates doubts in the minds of the people. If there is any truth behind this action, then why were the police oblivious (to such activities) for so long?

"This is the question being asked by the people. Therefore, the government should not take any action which increases unrest among the people," she said in another tweet

The Anti-Terrorist Squad of the UP Police on Sunday said it had arrested two terrorists belonging to Al-Qaeda supported 'Ansar Ghazwatul Hind' from the outskirts of Lucknow. Explosive material was also recovered from them.

“We cannot rely on Uttar Pradesh police, especially the BJP government,” Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had remarked on the arrests on Sunday.

Akhilesh Yadav's statement came in for strong criticism from the BJP's state unit president Swatantra Dev Singh who asked whether the security of the country was important for the SP chief or the politics of appeasement.

“For which country are you batting. This question is in everyone's mind today,” Singh said on Twitter with a video of Yadav's remarks.

“…Instead of taking pride in this success, the former chief minister has humiliated the Uttar Pradesh Police by raising questions. Akhileshji should tell whether the security of the country is important for him or the politics of appeasement,” he tweeted.

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