In a scathing attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday accused the state government of presiding over a "Maha Mafia Raj" that has now expanded beyond India's borders. He directly contradicted the administration's claims of having a zero-tolerance policy towards crime and criminals.
From Local Crime to International Syndicate
Yadav's criticism centered on the infamous codeine cough syrup drug racket. What initially surfaced as a localized crime in Varanasi was later discovered to have deep roots across Uttar Pradesh. Subsequent investigations revealed the racket's network extended to other Indian states, including West Bengal.
"Now, it has emerged to be a well-oiled organised crime spilling over Indian borders to different countries in Asia," the former Chief Minister stated. He highlighted recent reports suggesting the syndicate was supplying the addictive drug as far as Bangladesh. "Mafia raj under the BJP government has been upgraded and gone international," Yadav declared, alleging that the scale of criminal operations had grown under the present regime.
Allegations of Corruption and Public Suffering
The SP chief did not mince words when alleging complicity within the system. He claimed that the lucrative trade, generating hundreds of crores of rupees, involved people within the government taking a share of the profits. "BJP's Maha Mafia Raj is prevailing which is reaching the homes of the people sealed in (codeine cough syrup packs) bottles and proving to be life threatening," he said, arguing that this corruption is the reason the common citizen continues to suffer.
Yadav asserted that the problem was not confined to organized drug rackets alone. He pointed to a significant surge in other serious crimes under the BJP government's watch, particularly incidents of crime against women and cybercrime.
Rising Crimes Against Women and a Political Metaphor
Citing alarming statistics, Yadav claimed that in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, five women become victims of violence every single day, with a rape case being reported every fortnight. He referenced a recent horrific incident from Meerut, where assailants allegedly kidnapped a girl from her home after attacking her mother, who is now fighting for her life in a hospital.
"Such incidents explain how fearless and bold the perpetrators of crime have become," he stated, adding that the government's claims of zero tolerance towards crime have been completely demolished. Using a cricket analogy to signal the impending end of the BJP's tenure, Yadav said, "The BJP is in the fag end of its last innings and its (bowling) overs are now over. BJP's entire team has been bowled 'all-out' even before the match ended." His comments underscore the intense political battle in Uttar Pradesh, with law and order emerging as a central issue for the opposition.
