Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti Irani on Friday lashed out at the Samajwadi Party (SP) Government for using vote-bank politics to ensure suspension of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who was fighting against the sand mafia.
"A public admission by the Samajwadi Party leader that he got an upright officer suspended in mere 40 minutes is indicative of the fact that the Samajwadi Party Government in Uttar Pradesh has used vote-bank politics as a near crutch to ensure that an upright officer who has been fighting against the sand mafia in Uttar Pradesh is suspended," said Irani.
"It is our demand that Durga Shakti's suspension be immediately revoked and she be reinstated with honour," she added.
Meanwhile, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Jay Panda said there is an element of doubt as to whether the suspended IAS officer is being victimized.
"I think the government should respond to public concerns about such issues," he added.
Samajwadi Party leader Narinder Bhati has landed in a controversy after a video purportedly showed him as claiming that he had got Durga Shakti Nagpal, who clamped down on the mining mafia, transferred in '41 minutes'.
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The claim was made by Bhati while addressing a rally in Gautam Buddh Nagar, two days after he denied his involvement in the suspension of the IAS officer.
Nagpal was suspended last month ostensibly for taking on the sand mafia and for ordering the demolition of a wall of a mosque that was being built on government land in the state's Gautam Buddh Nagar District, where she was posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
According to reports, the 2009-batch IAS officer had seized nearly 300 trolleys of sand being illegally mined from the Yamuna river bed.
Though the Uttar Pradesh Government has called it as an 'administrative decision', against her for demolishing a wall which was part of an intended mosque, but many believe that it was the result of pressure from the mining mafia.
Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Government said removing Nagpal was an "administrative decision" as her decision to demolish the mosque could trigger communal tension, especially since it came during the month of Ramzan.
Defending his government's action, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has said the bureaucrat ordered the demolition of a portion of the mosque which might have resulted in disturbing peace in the state.
"You should inquire from the people of that village. The Muslim families collected donation for building a mosque, a wall was built, and you took the decision without holding any consultation and spoilt the environment there," he said.
Yadav said there was no matter of mining for which the action was taken.
"The government will act against all those who act against goodwill and brotherhood or try to spoil the environment by of their work," he added, while rubbishing reports that the government acted tough only because it was a matter of illegal mining.
"If you look at the record of last two to three months then you will come to know that truck and machines were caught. We are also desirous that illegal mining should not take place," he added.
