UP ministers attack SP over graft, nepotism

Lucknow: UP ministers Swatantra Dev Singh and Aseem Arun on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party and its chief Akhilesh Yadav, alleging that recruitment processes during the party’s tenure were marred by corruption, nepotism and caste-based favouritism.

The ministers accused the previous SP govt of turning govt recruitments into a “system of collection and manipulation”. They claimed that the current BJP-led govt has restored transparency and merit in appointments.

Singh alleged that whenever recruitment advertisements were issued during the SP regime, “uncle-nephew networks would become active to loot candidates.” He claimed that transfer-postings and recruitments operated through “fixed rates” and that recommendations and money determined selections.

Singh said the Yogi Adityanath govt had completed nearly 900,000 govt recruitments in a transparent and fair manner, ensuring opportunities for youths from all sections of society.

The minister also accused the former SP govt of suppressing Dalits, backward classes and weaker sections, alleging that corruption and favouritism had become institutionalised during that period.

Arun targeted Akhilesh over the opposition party’s recently released “PDA audit report”, saying the public already possesses the “real audit report” of the SP’s governance.

Referring to the 2004-07 police recruitment controversy during the tenure of former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Arun alleged that large-scale irregularities had taken place in police hiring.

He said that after Mayawati came formed the govt in 2007, more than 50 senior police officers were suspended and the recruitment process had to be scrapped.

He further claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation later filed a chargesheet in the matter.