Mayawati slams EC for transferring top state officer

LUCKNOW: Criticizing the Election Commission for transferring a top state official, UP chief minister Mayawati on Wednesday said that such action
could demoralize the officialdom ahead of the first phase of polling and may lead to law and order problems in the state.

"Removing of the officer just due to political reasons on basis of their baseless allegation will demoralize officers of the state due to which law and order problem could erupt in the state. EC will be responsible if there is any terrorist or Naxal problem or any incident happens with me or any other leader during campaigning," Mayawati told reporters here.

The EC on Tuesday had ordered transfer of UP principal secretary of home, Fateh Bahadur Singh following complaints from the opposition.

Assuring the commission that the BSP government in the state was committed to hold free and fair polls, Mayawati said that she had given orders to its officers to follow directions of the commission and ensure that there should be no violation of model code of conduct during the elections.

"I have not only directed the officials, but also party candidates, office-bearers and workers that they must adhere by the model code of conduct and cooperate with the government machinery," she said.

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Maneka lodges complaint against Lalu for Varun remarks

BADAUN (UP): BJP MP Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday lodged a complaint with police against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad for his alleged remarks that he
would have "crushed" her son Varun Gandhi under a roller for his anti-Muslim speeches.

"The RJD chief Lalu Yadav has threatened to kill Varun Gandhi by crushing him with a road roller in front of crowd of thousands of people and used derogatory words," she said in a letter to SSP, N Ravindran here.

"I came to know about this during my Badaun visit", Maneka said referring to the remarks attributed to the railway minister.

She demanded that the SSP lodge a complaint against Lalu Prasad Yadav under sections 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC and arrest him immediately.

Addressing an election meeting in Kishanganj in Bihar, the Railway Minister said "had I been country's home minister, I would have crushed Varun Gandhi under the roller and destroyed him without caring for the consequences for his hate speech against Muslims".

Following the comments, the Kishanganj district administration had filed an FIR against Lalu Prasad accusing him of attempting to create communal disturbance.

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