UP Elections 2017: Akhilesh Yadav Discrimination Proven, Alleges Power Minister Piyush Goyal

New Delhi: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments appeared to implicate Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for minority appeasement, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said religious discrimination in power distribution in the state is documented.

"It's not an empty political charge. It's a proven fact. A probe was launched after Moradabad parliamentarian Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar raised the issue in a meeting with the Prime Minister and the findings are there to prove the charge," the minister told NDTV.

Earlier this month, PM Modi had commented at a rally that "if arrangements are made for graveyards, crematoria must be too; if there is electricity for Ramzan, it must be organised for Diwali; if there is power for Holi, it must also be supplied for Eid."
 Mr Goyal said that Mr Kumar, a BJP lawmaker, contacted the Power Ministry with his complaint. "It was forwarded to the state government and nothing happened. The MP then met the PM. A central team was sent and as per federal laws there were state electricity department officials too who were involved," he said.

The minister claims that the probe team found that clusters of one community were provided power connections, while those belonging to another community were ignored. "The centre proposed that an FIR (police complaint) must be filed against officials behind the deliberate exclusion. But the state government is yet to respond," Mr Goyal said.

The ruling Samajwadi Party had rubbished the Prime Minister's insinuation and today it rejected Mr Goyal's charge. "There is no substance to this charge. It's a poll time gimmick by the BJP to polarise votes by targeting on particular community," said the party's Rajendra Chowdhry.

The BJP has been targeting the Akhilesh Yadav government with allegations of inequitable distribution of benefits in almost every election rally. BJP chief Amit Shah, in one rally, took a dig at the Chief Minister over laptop distribution. He questioned the crowd "Laptop mile?" (Did you get laptops?) After a "no" in response, he added, "It has benefited members of one caste only."

The Power Minister said, "There is need for change in UP. In the PM's constituency Varanasi, the centre has outlined projects worth Rs 30,000 crore for the area, but at different stages there is serious lack of cooperation from the state."