Lashing out at the BJP for blaming the Samajwadi Party for lawlessness under previous governments in Uttar Pradesh, former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said the BJP was trying to hoodwink voters by lying.
"NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) data should be brought forth. Today, UP is No. 1 in crimes against women, No. 1 in custodial deaths, No. 1 in terms of the number of notices received from the National Human Rights Commission, No. 1 in fake encounters," Mr Yadav told NDTV at an election rally in Suar which votes on Monday.
"Have you heard of an IPS office absconding anywhere else? And they are pointing fingers at us about law and order?" the Samajwadi Party chief said, insisting that the BJP's accusations against his party of promoting criminals will fall short.
"How can you forget what happened in Hathras? What the police and government did. What happened in Lakhimpur? What happened to an Apple employee in Lucknow? He was murdered. A businessman was beaten to death in Gorakhpur. People remember all this," he said.
"The way people are coming out to vote... they have said in the first phase only that they are against the government. And second and third phase will see the same," Mr Yadav said.
His comments came as the BJP continued attacking the Samajwadi Party for its records on crimes.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Akhilesh Yadav has lost sleep after the first round of polling and the BJP was on track to get over 300 of the 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh, which is voting on seven phases till March 7 with results on March 10.
"Akhilesh Yadav asks what has been done in Uttar Pradesh. I want to tell him that the BJP has reinstated the rule of law and maintained law and order in the state. We have reduced all crimes and removed the rule of goons and mafia in the state," he added.
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