Raja Bhaiya is in Cabinet

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav yesterday justified the induction of controversial Independent MLA, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, as a Cabinet minister, saying he was made a victim of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota).

By inducting Singh, the Samajwadi Party stole a march over the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) efforts to win over the Rajput vote in Uttar Pradesh. Pota was invoked against him during Mayawati's chief ministership. Raja Bhaiya was inducted into the Cabinet on Friday in a simple ceremony.

Mayawati reacted with predictable ire to the move. "Do not ask for my reaction. Ask the people of UP. Why did the court not give justice to Raja Bhaiya and why did the government have to recommend withdrawal of Pota," she said at a press conference in the Capital.

Yadav was firm. "The Samajwadi Party had always been opposing draconian laws like Pota and has been in the forefront of struggle against it in Parliament as well and by inducting Raja Bhaiya (as Cabinet minister) who was made a victim of the black law it has proved its commitment and principle against Pota," Yadav said in Lucknow after the swearing in ceremony.

Raja Bhaiya was arrested in November 2002 and was released from jail in May this year. Several cases are still pending against him.

Yadav said his party opposed Pota on the grounds that existing provisions of the IPC and CrPC were stringent enough to deal with hard-core criminals and Pota had only been misused to nail political opponents.

The Congress did not attend the swearing in ceremony. On this, Yadav said they might not have received the communication in time.

Raja Bhaiyya was arrested in November 2002 and was released from jail in May this year. Several cases are still pending against him.