Sonia Gandhi's letter to PM on Durga Nagpal 'politically motivated'

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi has alleged that Congress president Sonia Gandhi writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over suspension of UP IAS officer Durga Nagpal was 'politically motivated'.

"I think Mrs Gandhi's letter to PM (on Durga Shakti) is more politically motivated than by principle," Lekhi told reporters here.

Sonia Gandhi has written a letter to the Prime Minister, asking him to intervene in the case of Durga Nagpal's suspension.

According to reports, Gandhi has told the Prime Minister in her letter that though the matter is between the Uttar Pradesh Government and the IAS officer, the Central Government should see how it can intervene in it.

Gandhi letter comes two days after representatives of the Central IAS officers' Association met Minister of State in PMO V. Narayanasamy to demand justice for Nagpal.

Nagpal was suspended last month ostensibly for taking on the sand mafia and for ordering the demolition of a wall of a mosque that was being built on government land in the state's Gautam Buddh Nagar District, where she was posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

According to reports, the 2009-batch IAS officer had seized nearly 300 trolleys of sand being illegally mined from the Yamuna river bed.

Though the Uttar Pradesh Government has called it as an 'administrative decision', against her for demolishing a wall which was part of an intended mosque, but many believe that it was the result of pressure from the mining mafia.

Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Government said removing Nagpal was an "administrative decision" as her decision to demolish the mosque could trigger communal tension, especially since it came during the month of Ramzan.

Defending his government's action, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has said the bureaucrat ordered the demolition of a portion of the mosque which might have resulted in disturbing peace in the state.

"You should inquire from the people of that village. The Muslim families collected donation for building a mosque, a wall was built, and you took the decision without holding any consultation and spoilt the environment there," he said.

Yadav said there was no matter of mining for which the action was taken.

"The government will act against all those who act against goodwill and brotherhood or try to spoil the environment by of their work," he added, while rubbishing reports that the government acted tough only because it was a matter of illegal mining.

"If you look at the record of last two to three months then you will come to know that truck and machines were caught. We are also desirous that illegal mining should not take place," he added.