Lucknow
Rajya Sabha member and AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who has been booked by Uttar Pradesh police for allegedly making remarks against a community, on Sunday said he is not afraid of such action against him and is only demanding that the state government work for every community.
Singh, who is also the Aam Admi Party's in-charge of UP, claimed that people of the state feel "a specific caste is running the government".
Cases have been registered against Singh in Lucknow, Lakhimpur Khiri, Sant Kabirnagar, Aligarh, Muzaffarnagar and Greater Noida for allegedly promoting enmity among communities and similar charges after his remarks over a recent police action and other issues.
"I am not going to feel afraid due to these cases, and would continue to speak the truth. If I am asking a democratic government to work for everyone, then how does it amount to insulting a caste?" A strong opposition is necessary in a democracy to raise the issues of people fearlessly," he said.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP has rebutted Singh's allegations. The party claims that since action was being taken against criminals by the UP government, opposition leaders are raising the issue of caste and religion.
Singh also claimed that the police locked up his party’s informal office in Lucknow. He was going to hold a press conference there Sunday afternoon.
The house owner later alleged that Singh had hired the house in the name of some Rakesh Singh and was not vacating it even after expiry of the rent agreement.
"It seems Singh wants to grab my house despite being such a big leader. Hence, I locked it," the landlord told a local newspaper, denying that she did so under any pressure from BJP or the government.
