UPCC to launch protests across state

Differences between the Samajwadi Party and Congress have now extended beyond a war of words, with the latter deciding to launch state-wide ...

Differences between the Samajwadi Party and Congress have now extended beyond a war of words, with the latter deciding to launch state-wide demonstrations on June 15 to highlight the Mulayam government’s failure to check rising crime and ensure proper power supply.

The UP Congress headquarters sent directives to its district chiefs for the protest programme and a consolidated memorandum will be submitted to Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri with the request that the same should be forwarded to the Centre.

This is first time since it extended support to the Mulayam government in August last year that the Congress has decided to go for a planned protest against it on an issue concerning the people. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s two-day visit to Rae Bareli beginning Friday, is set to boost the morale of partymen, and the decision has added to the discomfort of Mulayam who is facing criticism from all quarters over the law and order and power situations.

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‘‘The Mulayam government would not have been formed had we not been the first to extend support but this government is functioning with vendetta and against the expectations of the people. We will make an attempt to ensure that this government should be changed,’’ said UPCC chief Jagdambika Pal. Pal met other office-bearers on the issue today and claimed that the party would ensure that ‘‘our first state-wide protest against the Mulayam government’’ should not go unnoticed. In fact, the SP and the Congress had never had good relations ever since the party propped up the Mulayam government. But the row after Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi’s indictment of the Mulayam government on the twin issues has played an incendiary role and forced party workers to take their differences to the public.

‘‘Rahulji is a representative of more than three lakh people in Parliament but first Amar Singh and now CM Mulayam has tried to dismiss his statement by terming him as a kid. We will not tolerate such a personal attack on Rahulji,’’ claimed Pal.

‘‘Woh (Rahul) abhi us haisiyat ka nahin ki hum uska naam le. Uchal kood macha raha hai, machane do (He is not of the status that I should name him. He is creating a ruckus. Let him do so),’’ Mulayam said.