Lucknow: Congress party erected posters of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and other BJP leaders depicting history of criminal cases against them. Joining in the poster tussle, Congress’ move came after the Lucknow District Administration erected banners of anti-CAA protestors in the capital city.

Commenting on the administration’s move of naming and shaming the protestors, the UP Congress claimed that recovery should start with the CM as he is one of the accused in Gorakhpur riots. Speaking to News18, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) Chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said, “The posters were put up by our workers and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. UP CM Yogi Adityanath is a part of the legislative assembly but he thinks he is a ‘Judge’. CM Yogi is one of the accused in instigating riots, so he should put up his posters first.”

All the accused of riots should be treated in a similar way and BJP leaders like Sangeet Som, Suresh Rana, Sadhvi Prachi, Umesh Malik, and Sanjeev Balyan are all accused of Muzaffarnagar riots, Lallu added. Further mentioning about Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, Lallu stated that as per Maurya's affidavit submitted during Lok Sabha Elections. he is accused in 11 cases including riots.

Congress workers put up posters right next to the hoardings of the anti-CAA protesters outside the UP BJP office in Hazratganj area, Lucknow.

Reacting to Congress’ move, BJP leader and Minister in the UP government, Suresh Rana whose picture was also published in the poster, said, “It seems that Congress is rattled over the action done by the UP Government on the rioters who have damaged public and private property. These people at times ask for proof of Balakot Air Strike and at times these people visit the house of the rioters. The law and order situation is improving in Uttar Pradesh in comparison to other states and it seems Congress cannot digest the fact, hence they have resorted to such kind of politics.”

Earlier, on Friday Samajwadi Party had erected banners of the rape accused ex-Union minister Chinmayanand and Unnao rape convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar, both former BJP leaders. Tweeting a picture of the hoardings, SP leader IP Singh said, “When protesters don’t have any privacy and even after the orders of High Court and Supreme Court, Yogi government is not taking down hoardings. So I have also decided to put up hoardings of named criminals, our daughters should be aware of them.”

“People who will oppose hoardings will be supporters of rapists and will be anti-woman. BJP is Anti Woman,’ he added. Taking cognizance of the matter, district administration removed SP’s banners and the security was beefed up in the area.

जब प्रदर्शनकारियों की कोई निजता नहीं है और उच्चन्यायालय और सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के आदेश के बाद भी योगी सरकार होर्डिंग नहीं हटा रही है तो ये लीजिए फिर। लोहिया चौराहे पर मैंने भी कुछ कोर्ट द्वारा नामित अपराधियों का पोस्टर जनहित में जारी कर दिया है, इनसे बेटियाँ सावधान रहें। pic.twitter.com/9AqGBxMoJR — I.P. Singh (@IPSinghSp) March 12, 2020

Post High Court’s order to remove the ‘naming and shaming banner’, SC rapped the Yogi Adityanath-led government and stated that its decision to put up banners has no backing in law. However, SC did not pass any interim order and said the matter would be heard next week by a three-judge bench.