The Hindu : National : Police action wrong, says Mulayam

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Friday, Dec 23, 2005

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National

Police action wrong, says Mulayam

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday ruled out the possibility of early elections in the State and said Assembly polls would be held on schedule in 2007. He was addressing a press conference here after meeting Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia to finalise the State's annual plan,

Mr. Yadav said the Samajwadi Party would be geared for polls by June next year as selection of candidates normally began six months in advance. But speculation about advancing polls indulged in by the Opposition parties was meant to create confusion among the electorate, he said. His rivals, he claimed, were afraid about the "improved overall development in the State.''

The Chief Minister said he had taken stern action against police officers involved in the assault on young men and women in a park in Meerut on Tuesday. "We accept that what happened was wrong and the police personnel had no business to do what they did. We have taken swift action against those involved and responsible,'' he said.

In answer to a question, Mr. Yadav admitted that in his meeting on Wednesday with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he had also raised the issue of income tax notice to filmstar Amitabh Bachchan while he was in hospital recently. "Mr. Bachchan is a popular icon. He is not holding an official position but has a place in history owing to his talent. To send a notice to him when he was battling for his life, is inhuman, and to withdraw the invitation sent to him to open the Goa film festival just shows the arrogance of power.'' He said he brought it up with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram as well as he happened to drop by.

He expressed happiness with a higher Central allocation of planned funds for 2006-07 over the previous year, claiming the allocation was linked to "performance.'' The State had utilised "more than its allocation'' last year and had been allocated nearly as much as its demand this year.

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