The Hindu : New Delhi News : Help maintain law and order, U.P. Government urges SP

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Thursday, Mar 17, 2011
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Help maintain law and order, U.P. Government urges SP

Atiq Khan

Appeal comes after NHRC takes up lathi-charge issue

LUCKNOW: With the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reportedly taking up the issue of the police lathi-charge on Samajwadi Party workers and alleged repressive measures during the party's agitation here on March 7, 8 and 9, the Uttar Pradesh Government on Wednesday appealed to the SP in particular and other Opposition parties in general to help maintain law and order, especially when Holi is round the corner. Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh, who conveyed the government's decision to the media here, emphasised that the officials had “great respect for the political leaders”.

The appeal comes a day before the next round of SP's anti-government agitation on March 17, planned in the rural areas. Mr. Singh said demonstrations by the Opposition should be peaceful.

At a press conference last week, Ms. Mayawati warned SP president Mulayam Singh and said Opposition protests would be sternly dealt with. The SP's March 17 agitation was in reaction to the Chief Minister's warning, with the party stating it would not be “cowed down by threats”.

A notice has purportedly been issued to the State Government by the NHRC, which reportedly took suo motu cognisance of news reports related to the police lathi-charge, arrest of the party's senior leaders, as well as of a photograph showing an SP worker being trampled upon by Lucknow DIG D.K. Thakur. The Cabinet Secretary did not respond to a query on the NHRC notice, but said the government was following the Supreme Court directives on dealing with the Opposition protests. He told journalists that no prior permission had been sought from the administration by the SP for observing its March 17 “virodh diwas” (protest day). The government came to know about it only through media reports, he said.

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