Dispute over allegedly biased Panchayat administration ruling: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister orders retract, suspends bureaucrat
In a significant turn of events in Uttar Pradesh, the state government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has suspended SN Singh, the Joint Director of the Panchayati Raj Department, following the issuance of a discriminatory encroachment removal order. The order, which targeted specific castes (Yadav) and religious communities (Muslim) across 57,691 village panchayats, was deemed "completely discriminatory and unacceptable" by the Chief Minister, who ordered its immediate withdrawal.
The controversial order, issued by the panchayati raj office in Ballia on August 2, went viral on August 4, causing a political uproar. The Samajwadi Party (SP), led by Akhilesh Yadav, strongly condemned the order, calling it harassment of backward classes and minorities (PDA – pichde or backward classes, Dalits, and minorities). Akhilesh Yadav demanded judicial intervention and announced legal action against the order, decrying it as anti-Constitutional and divisive.
The opposition parties, including the Azad Samaj Party and other leaders, also criticized the BJP government, questioning its intentions and protesting the order's targeting of specific communities. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai has echoed similar sentiments, stating that orders based on caste or religion are not acceptable.
In response, CM Yogi Adityanath expressed his strong displeasure, calling the order a "serious administrative lapse" that could create societal division. He emphasized the importance of impartiality, social harmony, and adherence to constitutional values. The Chief Minister also warned officials not to let such mistakes be repeated.
Akhilesh Yadav, the SP chief, attacked the Uttar Pradesh government over the controversial encroachment order, accusing it of having a discriminatory mentality. He stated that most of the illegally acquired ponds and lakes in the state were by BJP people and claimed that the government's strategy is to target certain individuals from the Samajwadi Party.
Akhilesh Yadav also threatened to take the issue to court and accused the government of being the biggest mafia in the state. The BJP, however, has maintained that action should be taken against whatever is illegal, and not just against people of a particular caste or religion.
The incident has sparked political uproar and is seen as a serious administrative and political issue in UP. Ajay Rai, the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, has called for severe punishment for officers who are hand in gloves with the BJP. The CM, in turn, has warned officials to ensure that encroachments are addressed with complete fairness, facts, and law, and not on the basis of caste or religion.
This controversy comes at a time when the state is gearing up for the Assembly elections due later this year. The political parties are using the incident to strengthen their positions, with the opposition parties accusing the government of discrimination and demanding legal and judicial action. The Uttar Pradesh government, on the other hand, is focusing on maintaining law and order and ensuring a fair and impartial administration.
The Uttar Pradesh government, amidst assembly elections, is facing criticism from opposition parties and general news outlets for a controversial encroachment removal order, deemed discriminatory by leaders like Akhilesh Yadav. This order, if proven to be based on caste or religion, could lead to severe punishment for officials, as per the CM's warning. Meanwhile, crime and justice headlines question the BJP's intentions, with Samajwadi Party leaders accusing them of being the biggest mafia in the state. Amidst the political uproar, the government stresses the importance of fair and impartial administration in policy-and-legislation and governance.
