Ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leaders staged a massive demonstration in Barabanki demanding withdrawal of First Information Report (FIR), registered against 25 persons, including two representatives of local BJP MP Priyanka Rawat. The case was registered for allegedly encroaching upon government land, creating hurdles in government work and other charges.
Reports said that hundred of supporters of BJP led by zonal coordinator Santosh Pandey, Rajesh Verma gathered at local MP, Priyanka Rawat’s residence, who was away in New Delhi to attend the Parliament. The members later took out procession and later staged a demonstration at Patel crossing on Friday noon. They also torched the effigy of the district magistrate alleging that he was unnecessary harassing the BJP leaders.
Earlier Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Barabanki, Ajay Kumar Dwivedi claimed that a case was registered at Safdarganj Police Station against 25 persons including the MP’s representatives Rajesh Kumar and Rajesh Chandra for creating hurdles in government work, damaging government property and encroaching land. He said that the matter was probed and stern action will be taken in the matter.
Reacting to the matter, Priyanka Rawat earlier told local media persons that she met the chief minister and apprised him of the functioning and corrupt pactices of officers posted in the district. She said to have controlled the mob agitated over the behaviour of the SDM but still her supporters were named in the FIR.
It may be mentioned that on last Tuesday the BJP MP was caught on camera purportedly threatening Dwivedi, a trainee IAS officer posted
as SDM, that she would make his life “difficult” during an argument over an anti-encroachment drive. The video of the exchange between the Barabanki MP and Dwivedi in Chaila village of the district had gone viral. In the video footage, Rawat was heard threatening the IAS officer, saying “Main tumhara jeena mushkil kar doongi (I will make your life difficult) in Barabanki if my workers face even an iota of difficulty.” Asked for her comment, the 32-year-old MP claimed Dwivedi walked away without listening to her when she was discussing the matter.
“What message will go out to the people? It is the responsibility of the official to listen, understand and pay due respect to protocol,” Rawat had said. Rawat apparently lost her cool after seeing the opposition of locals to the anti-encroachment drive by a team of government officials led by Dwivedi. In the video, Rawat, can be heard asking Dwivedi if he has any etiquette. “I am standing here for the people of the area and you are walking away...you have to work for the people of the area and not for yourself. Learn about protocol and how people’s representatives have to be given respect,” the MP had said. In April too, Rawat was in the news for telling a police officer that she would “skin him alive”.