He accused the government of trying to suppress voices by “blowing whistles.”
File Photo: IANS
Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai on Saturday took a sharp dig at the Yogi Adityanath-led government over the alleged codeine-based cough syrup case, remarking that “the bulldozer seems to have caught a chill.”
He accused the government of trying to suppress voices by “blowing whistles.”
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Addressing the media at his residential office in Lahurabir, Rai referred to the production of Azad Adhikar Sena national president Amitabh Thakur before a Varanasi court on Friday under heavy security.
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He alleged that police personnel deployed at the court kept blowing whistles to prevent Thakur from speaking to the media.
Rai said the state government has now resorted to silencing dissent by such means. He added that the issue of codeine-based cough syrup has been dominating discussions across the state and the country, yet no concrete action or arrest has been made so far.
“No major accused has been brought into custody. The main accused in the cough syrup case has been absconding abroad for months,” he said.
Drawing a comparison, Rai cited a recent fire incident at a nightclub in Goa, where the club operators, the Luthra brothers, allegedly fled abroad but were extradited from Thailand and sent to jail.
“Why is similar action not being taken in the cough syrup case?” he questioned.
Rai also criticized the state leadership, saying that before the start of the Assembly session, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the two Deputy Chief Ministers held a photo session and addressed the press.
“What was the intention behind that?” he asked, adding that Amitabh Thakur, who raised the issue and named those allegedly involved, was sent to jail despite not being affiliated with any political party.
He further alleged that the manner in which a former officer was produced in court raised serious questions about democracy.
“In a democracy, if someone is prevented from speaking to the media and raising their voice by blowing whistles, it shows how dissent is being suppressed,” Rai said.
Concluding his remarks, he questioned the government’s much-publicized use of bulldozers, asking why no action was being taken in the cough syrup case. “Where is the bulldozer now?” he asked.
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