'Jungle raj' prevailing in UP, alleges Congress

The Congress on Sunday alleged that "jungle raj" prevailed in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh as police officers were being attacked and killed by goons in the state.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala targeted the UP government, alleging the law and order apparatus had broken down in the state under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"In Uttar Pradesh, jungle raj and gunda raj prevails. When police, who are responsible for protecting and defending law and order, is under such severe attack, what will happen to common people," he told reporters.

He cited the example of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh who was killed in mob violence in Bulandshahr and said Adityanath "tried to brush it away as an accident, while BJP legislators tried to state it as a suicide".

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on Saturday, another police officer was "lynched", he alleged.

"In a matter of less than 30 days, two police officers have been lynched in this fashion. Even earlier, a police officer's house was attacked by goons. His children, wife and old parents were harassed. Even before that another DSP-rank officer was slapped in broad daylight," he alleged.

"BJP workers have been attacking and humiliating police officers including women. The murder of Suresh Vats, the brave police officer who's been lynched, is unpardonable and unacceptable. Law and order has broken down and gunda raj prevails in UP," he alleged.

Earlier, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had said, "There is nothing in the name of government anywhere in the state. There is nothing in the name of law and order. There's 'jungle raj' prevailing in Uttar Pradesh under the BJP rule."