Yogi govt’s 3 years: Disregard for court, fake encounters, misuse of sedition law, hatred, rising unemployment

Disregard for Supreme Court – In complete disregard to the order passed by the Supreme Court and the Allahabad High Court, Yogi Adityanath government passed Public Properties Ordinance- 2020 which allows government to seize property of anti-CAA protesters in order to carry out recovery for so-called damage caused to the public property.

Misuse of sedition laws – An AISA activist, Nitin Raj, was arrested in Lucknow for demanding the release of other activists for protesting against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act. He was charged with sedition laws that were drafted by the Britishers to suppress the demand for freedom in 1860s. Recently, UP police slapped sedition charges on 135 people alone in Azamgarh for taking part in anti-CAA protest.

Fake encounters – In January 2019, UP chief secretary Anoop Chandra Pandey said between March 2017–2018, UP police carried out 3026 encounters. By this rate, it is being estimated thar Uttar Pradesh recorded more than 4000 cases of fake encounter in last three years.

Crime against women – According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Uttar Pradesh is the most unsafe place for women in the country. 59,445 crimes against women were recorded in 2018. Between 2016 to 2018, UP recorded a 20 per cent increase in crime against women.

Crime against Dalits – Uttar Pradesh reported highest number of atrocities against Dalits, according to the NCRB data, followed by Bihar and Rajasthan.

Farmers’ suicide – As per NCRB data, more than 10,349 farmers have committed suicide in the state. By this rate, agricultural analysts believe that over 30 thousand farmers have committed suicide in last three years.

Rising unemployment – BJP had promised to provide jobs to 70 lakh people during the election campaign. It was mentioned in the BJP manifesto also. However, as per the data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, the rate of unemployment had doubled in the state in the last two years. According to an admission made by Swamy Prasad Maurya, who holds the Labour Ministry, 33.93 lakh youths have registered themselves in the government portal.

Low investment – After assuming power Yogi government organized a grand business summit in Lucknow wherein 1045 MoUs worth ₹ 4.28 lakh crore were signed. However, as per the government’s own records, the government could commence work on only 90 MoUs which is less than 10 per cent.

Assault on press – As per Committee Against Assault on Journalists (CAAJ) – a civil society group working to defend the freedom of press and right to report, since October 5 till date, five journalists have been killed in the state while 60 have been tortured and booked in various cases by the state police.

As Yogi Adityanath completes three years in the office, these glaring instances of systematic suppression, brutality and hatred towards minorities comes as a grim reminder of the horrible situation which UP is going through.

Ever since the so-called monk and head priest of Gorakhnath Math assumed power in the largest state of India – not only in terms of size but also political clout – he has been in the news mostly for the wrong reasons.

When he came to power, Hindu Hriday Smrat Yogi made tall promises of taking the state to great heights, but his tenure proves otherwise.

Talking a swipe at Yogi, head of the UPCC, Ajay Lallu said that Yogi’s tenure will be remembered in the history for brazen abuse of power, shameless communalisation of police force and hatred towards the largest minority of the country – Muslims.

“Yogi has unleased a reign of terror in the state. Not only Muslims but law-abiding citizens are living in fear. He attacked those who opposed his polices besides carrying out saffronisation of important institutions such as bureaucracy and police,” he said.

It is worth recalling here that immediately after he assumed power, a mob comprising Hindutva goons in the guise of Gau Rakshaks lynched a man named Akhlaq for allegedly killing a cow and keeping beef in his house. Since then many instances of mob violence have been recorded.

S R Darapuri, a former IPS officer and staunch critic of the Yogi government said, “Under the Yogi raj not only communalisation but criminalization of police took place.”

Darapuri, who was jailed for taking part in anti-CAA protests, added: “Yogi has converted UP into a police state. Communal hatred towards Muslims and caste suppression become an open and accepted norm among the police”.

But as Darapuri points out, the problem is not only the brutal suppression but the criminalization of thoughts and illegalization of rights to protest.

Sadaf Jafar, a Congress activist who was also jailed for taking part in anti-CAA protests in Lucknow said, “Whoever dared to protest against the regime or even tried to criticize Yogi has been crushed. Freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution has been snatched away. Any critical voice is likely to face the wrath of the government.”

Jafar, who was beaten up by male cops inside the jail, added, “Voice of students and youths has been suppressed across the state. They are trying to silence every voice of dissent”.