Shah cancels Meerut foot march, says UP nation's crime capital

New Delhi, Feb 3: BJP President Amit Shah today called off his foot march in Meerut following the murder of a businessman's son and lashed out at the Samajwadi Party government, saying Uttar Pradesh has become India's "crime capital" under it and vowed to make it a poll issue.

Such murders have become a common occurrence in the state, he said citing the recent killing of a businessman in Lucknow and claimed than an atmosphere of fear and terror reigns there.

"The morale of criminals is so high in the state, even police personnel are not safe let alone the common man. The way incidents of crime against the common man have risen under the Akhilesh Yadav government, an atmosphere of fear and terror prevails in the state.

"BJP will fight for the issue of law and order in the streets of Uttar Pradesh and Parliament as well. Restoring the law and order and sending criminals behind bars will be our priority after a BJP government is formed," he said in tweets.

Citing figures, he said cases of 24 rapes, 13 murders, 33 kidnappings, 19 riots and 136 thefts occur daily in the state, leading to 7,650 incidents of crime per day.
"UP has become the country's crime capital," he said.

Earlier in the day, the party MPs raised the issue in Lok Sabha shouting slogans like 'Akhilesh ka haath goonda-gardi ke sath' (Akhilesh is with goons).

They later sat on dharna outside Parliament. "There has been no law and order in the state in last five years. Time has come to uproot this government. Only BJP can bring a positive change," Satyapal Singh, Baghpat MP, said.

Basti MP Sharad Tripathi alleged that there is anarchy in the state. Speaking to the media, party spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that there was no rule of law in the state and crime graph had steadily risen according to the state government's data.

"While the entire state is witnessing lawlessness, both princes, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, are busy in political rallies. Why are both princes are silent? Do they like this 'goondaraj'?" he asked.

Abhishek (24) was killed last night when he was with his father Sushil Verma, who owns a gutka business, and three workers working in his godown near his house at Sharda road in Brahmpuri area.

Five armed men barged into the godown while two of their accomplices stood outside. The attackers looted the godown at gun point. When Verma and his son resisted their attempt to flee, the gang members opened fire following which Abhishek died on the spot.

Verma and three others were injured and were later admitted to hospital.