Ghazipur tense after cop’s death: VC instigates students to murder

The descent of Uttar Pradesh into lawlessness now resembles a free fall. With an unconcerned BJP Government ‘gloating’ at the death of a Head Constable after being hit by a stone (did he have a helmet on his head?) on Saturday. BJP leaders on Sunday blamed the Nishad Party supporters for causing the death.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of Purvanchal University, Dr Raja Ram Yadav, can be seen in a video put out by a news agency exhorting students to beat up those who dare to clash with them and if possible, kill them. He was addressing a ‘seminar’ on Saturday, the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally at Ghazipur and a police Head Constable, Suresh Vats, died after being hit by a stone allegedly by followers of the Nishad Party demanding separate reservation. Vats is the second policeman to have been killed by a mob in Uttar Pradesh in December.

The Vice Chancellor can be heard saying, “If you are students of this university, then don’t come to me crying. Beat up those who dare to clash with you. Murder them, if necessary. We will take care of it.”

The shocking statement from an educationist has caused revulsion and is being cited as one more example of lawlessness in Uttar Pradesh.

On Sunday, however, the Prime Minister made no reference to the worsening law and order situation in the state. BJP leaders appeared to take satisfaction from the fact that the Nishad Party had supported the Samajwadi Party in the byelection for the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat, which the BJP lost earlier this year. Praveen Nishad, son of Nishad Party’s founder Sanjay Nishad, had won the seat vacated by UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath as a Samajwadi Party candidate.

BJP leaders on Sunday were busy blaming the opposition for the death of the Head Constable even as the state government was busy circulating photograph of the CM listening to the Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat.

A BJP plot

Founder of the Nishad Party, formed in 2016, Sanjay Nishad meanwhile denied involvement of his party members in the Head Constable’s killing. “ It’s a BJP plot,” he said, “ to defame the party”. He called for an independent probe into Saturday’s incident.

UP police said that Nishad Party supporters had blocked a main road with placards that threatened a bloodbath if they were not given separate reservation. The mob put up the road block demanding the release of four Nishad Party workers who had been taken into custody as a precautionary measure in view of the PM’s rally.

Sanjay Nishad maintains that the supporters had gathered to welcome him on his way to Gorakhpur when the police tried to disperse them, leading to stone pelting.

Did the Head Constable have a helmet on his head, is a question being asked. If the state government had ensured a simple helmet and protective gear, the Head Constable may not have died and the state government need not have to pay Rs 50 lakh by way of compensation tothe deceased’s family.

Chhatrapati Nishad told newsmen, “Our patience is now at breaking point. We had put up 100 candidates in the UP assembly election last year along with other smaller parties like Peace Party, Apna Dal etc. But neither the Chief Minister nor the Prime Minister has spoken to us or bothered to fulfil their assurances.”

Nishad Party, formed in 2016, has one MLA in the UP Assembly and a MP in the Lok Sabha. The party draws its support from boatmen and fishermen, who inhabit the area in sizeable numbers.