Lucknow: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav said on Friday that a government that "can't protect life has no right to remain in power" a day after gangster turned politician Mukhtar Anasri died in a hospital in Banda, Uttar Pradesh.
The son of the deceased claimed that his father was given "poison" in the food.
"Now the whole nation knows everything... Two days ago I came to meet him, but I was not allowed... We said earlier also and even today we will say the same about the allegation of giving slow poison. On March 19, he was given poison in the dinner. We will move to the judiciary; we have full faith in it..." Umar Ansari said.
Akhilesh said that all such "doubtful cases" should be investigated under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.
Akhilesh Yadav said on Twitter..
https://twitter.com/yadavakhilesh/status/1773564653429498171?
In a series of posts on X, former chief minister said, "It is the first responsibility and duty of the government to protect someone's life in every situation and at every place. The death of a hostage or prisoner in any of the following circumstances will erode public confidence in the judicial process."
"All such doubtful cases should be investigated under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge. The way the government bypasses the judicial process and adopts other methods is completely illegal," his post added.
"A government that cannot protect life has no right to remain in power. Uttar Pradesh is going through the worst phase of 'government anarchy'. This is 'zero hour' of law and order in UP," he said.
Earlier in the day, Bahujan Samaj Party Chief Mayawati said that the serious allegations by Mukhtar Ansari's family regarding his death in jail require a "high-level investigation" so that the facts related to his death "can be revealed."
In a post on X, the BSP chief said, "The persistent apprehensions and serious allegations made by Mukhtar Ansari's family regarding his death in jail require a high-level investigation so that the true facts of his death can be revealed. In such a situation, it is natural for his family to be sad. May nature give them the strength to bear this sorrow."
Ansari was elected as an MLA from the Mau assembly seat five times, including twice as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate. He had a strong influence in Ghazipur, his hometown.
In April 2023, Mukhtar Ansari was convicted and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai by an MP MLA court. He was sentenced to life in prison on March 13, 2024, in a case related to the use of forged documents for obtaining an arms licence in 1990.
—ANI
