Priyanka Gandhi attacks UP govt on Swati Singh issue

New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi has criticised the Uttar Pradesh government for not taking action against the erring Minister Swati Singh.

Priyanka Gandhi tweeted on Sunday: "Minister of UP government is saying that orders are from above, who is above and who doesn't want any action against the scamsters, DHFL, SIDCO, home guard salary scam, LDA scam, no action has been initiated against the big fish"

The minister was pulled up by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after an audio clip, in which she is heard threatening a police officer and demanding that the case against a builder be expunged, went viral.

The builder, in whose favour the minister was pressuring the circle officer of Cantt police station Beenu Singh to withdraw the cases, is the Ansal group which is already involved in a fraud case.

On September 29, real estate group Ansal API's vice-chairman Pranav Ansal was detained at Delhi airport while he was about to fly to London, in connection with cases pertaining to criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery. Ansal was later brought to Lucknow and sent to jail.

Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh have seized this opportunity to hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government.

The Samajwadi Party issued a statement saying that the incident showcased the corruption rampant in the Yogi government where a minister is heard openly talking in favour of a tainted builder.

The Congress went a step ahead and demanded the dismissal of Swati Singh from the cabinet.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Kumar Lallu said: "Uttar Pradesh minister is threatening Lucknow Cantt Circle Officer to favour a scamster. She is even heard saying that the chief minister is apprised of the matter and the orders are coming from the top. This explains the kind of government we have in the state. If Yogi Adityanath is genuinely committed to checking corruption, he should dismiss this minister."

Swati Singh, has refused to comment on the episode and even rebuked journalists who approached her for a reaction.