Akhilesh takes jibe at BJP MLA's threat; calls IAS Abhishek Prakash's suspension a 'drama'

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has taken a swipe at the BJP, suggesting the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government should create a new 'Threat Ministry' to accommodate its MLAs. His remarks came in response to recent controversies involving a BJP MLA from Ghaziabad.

"The honourable Chief Minister should also create a 'Threat Ministry' to accommodate BJP MLAs in Uttar Pradesh. He already has several qualified candidates from his party to become ministers in this ministry. However, if he wants, he can keep this ministry himself as no one else has more qualification and experience than him in this specific field," Yadav posted on X on Friday.

Akhilesh Yadav's statement came after BJP MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar allegedly had a scuffle with police in Ghaziabad over a Ram 'Katha yatra'. The MLA reportedly issued threats to the Chief Secretary and the Commissioner after the scuffle.

In another post on X, Akhilesh Yadav criticised the suspension of IAS officer Abhishek Prakash caught in a graft controversy, calling it a "drama" and alleging deeper corruption within the UP administration.

He suggested that the BJP revise its slogan to "Sab Mil Bant, Kare Bantadhar (Everyone shares, everyone destroys)."

"This is the truth of 'ease of doing business' in Uttar Pradesh, where commissions are openly demanded in the name of industrial development. When the matter is exposed, a drama of suspension is staged," Yadav posted. "The last stop of this corruption is not the officer, but someone else," he pointed out.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday suspended 2006 batch IAS officer Abhishek Prakash under its zero-tolerance policy against corruption.

Prakash, formerly the District Magistrate of Lucknow and was currently serving as CEO of ‘Invest UP’, is accused of demanding a five per cent commission from an entrepreneur seeking to set up a solar plant.

The entrepreneur reported the demand to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, leading to an investigation by the Special Task Force which found the allegations credible and registered an FIR against Nikant Jain, the alleged middleman, at the Gomti Nagar police station before arresting him.

Following the investigation, Prakash was suspended and attached to the Revenue Board. Additional CEO Prathamesh Kumar has been appointed as the new CEO of ‘Invest UP’.

So far, action has been taken against 11 IAS officers in the state, with several of them reinstated after investigations. Under the terms of his suspension, Abhishek Prakash cannot leave the headquarters without prior permission.