Shivraj, Akhilesh spar over crime situation in poll-bound UP

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Akhilesh Yadav today traded charges on the crime situation in their respective states, with both citing NCRB data to refute each other's claim.
As charges on law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh flew thick and fast, Chouhan who is on a whirlwind tour of the poll-bound state, slammed the Akhilesh Yadav government on the crime front.
He refuted charges that Madhya Pradesh was worse on law and order front compared to the northern state.
Hours after his remarks, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said the data in the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) would bring out the truth.

"Why does not Chouhan go through NCRB data before claiming that the crime figure is high in UP," Akhilesh retorted.
The Samajwadi Party leader also referred to the deaths in connection with the infamous VYAPAM recruitment scam in Madhya Pradesh.

Chouhan's remarks came against the backdrop of opposition charges that there were more cases of crime in his state as per NCRB data.
He said it appeared to be so because "in Madhya Pradesh, there is facility to lodge FIRs online and the process is transparent."
"But, in Uttar Pradesh, it is a 'herculean task' to get an FIR registered. It is done keeping in mind the stature and identity of the person against whom it has to be registered," Chouhan earlier said at a press conference here after addressing a series of election rallies in Etawah, Auraiya and Kanpur-Dehat.

Law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh has become a major election issue with opposition parties trying to corner the Samajwadi Party government on incidents of rapes, murder and dacoity in the state.
Referring to BJP's manifesto for the poll-bound state, Chouhan said he was confident that once his party comes to power in the state, all the promises in the document would be fulfilled as had been done in his state.
He added that while agricultural growth in Madhya Pradesh was 20 per cent during his tenure, spread over ten years, it was abysmally low in Uttar Pradesh i.E just 3 per cent.

The second phase of the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections is slated for February 15.