Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police and Rajya Sabha MP Brij Lal on August 16 launched a strong political attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, challenging his claim that the party would deliver justice to the “PDA” if it returned to power in Uttar Pradesh.
In a statement dated August 16, Lal said that, by Yadav’s own definition, he too falls within the “D” category as a Dalit. He alleged that despite being a senior IPS officer, he faced prolonged harassment during SP governments and accused the former Chief Minister of failing to protect the interests of Dalits.
Lal recalled his tenure as SSP of Etawah in 1989, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. He alleged that on April 8, 1990, Shivpal Singh Yadav, along with armed supporters, attacked Civil Lines police station in Etawah and secured the release of several people accused of land grabbing. Lal claimed that the police station’s then station house officer, Shah Alam Khan, was subsequently subjected to multiple cases and departmental action after taking action in the matter.
According to Lal, he resisted pressure and pursued what he described as a legally justified course of action, eventually facing departmental proceedings himself. He said the episode illustrated what he described as the contradiction between the SP’s “PDA” politics and the treatment of members belonging to the same social groups.
Lal further alleged that he was repeatedly targeted whenever the SP was in power. Referring to his book The Etawah Files, published by Prabhat Prakashan, he said the book documents his experiences and urged Akhilesh Yadav to read it.
He also recalled his tenure when Akhilesh Yadav became Chief Minister in 2012. Lal alleged that although he was removed as DGP, the state government did not relieve him when the Centre selected him for the post of Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). He claimed that had he been relieved, he could have become the first Dalit officer to head the CRPF as DG.
Lal also referred to a case registered against him and several other police officers in connection with the death of Khalid Mujahid, an accused in the 2007 Uttar Pradesh court blasts case. He alleged that the case was politically motivated and claimed that the action against him was linked to the arrest of Mujahid and another accused, Hakeem Tariq Qasmi.
Questioning the SP’s record on Dalit politics, Lal also invoked the 1995 Lucknow Guest House incident involving the BSP and SP. He alleged that the party’s record was inconsistent with its present claims of representing backward and marginalised communities.
He further accused the Akhilesh Yadav government of demoting a large number of Dalit government employees and alleged that decisions concerning institutions and districts named after Dalit leaders and saints reflected an anti-Dalit approach.
Lal concluded by questioning the SP chief’s claim of offering justice through the PDA framework, arguing that the party’s record in government should be judged against its treatment of Dalits, backward communities and minorities.
