UP Cong chief says 'Jungle Raj' in state, demands judicial probe into murder at Union minister's house

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai Tuesday said a ''Jungle Raj'' is prevailing in Uttar Pradesh under the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and demanded a judicial probe into a recent murder at Union minister Kaushal Kishore's house here.

Addressing a press conference, Rai also charged the state police of merely carrying out ''formalities'' in the murder case of the youth at Kaushal Kishore's residence.

To justify his ''Jungle Raj'' stance, Rai also cited other incidents in the state, including the alleged killing of Sikh farmers by another Union minister's son in Lakhimpur Kheri two years ago and a woman constable being found in a ''pool of blood'' inside a compartment of Saryu Express on August 30. ''Today, corruption and bad law and order are at their peak in Uttar Pradesh. You have seen that a BJP worker was murdered at the residence of the Union minister, and the minister was seen defending his son. The police are seen doing formalities in the matter,'' Rai said.

''A case was registered (against the minister's son Vikas Kishore) under the Arms Act when it should have also been registered under 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. We demand that a judicial probe should be done in this case by a sitting judge. The government is trying to save its ministers,'' he told reporters here.

On September 2, Union Minister of State Kaushal Kishore's son Vikas Kishore was booked under the Arms Act, a day after his 30-year-old friend was shot dead at Kaushal Kishore's house in Lucknow under mysterious circumstances.

Three men were arrested in connection with the case on September 1.

The murder of Vinay Srivastava on September 1 at Union minister Kaushal Kishore's house in Lucknow has created a sensation. According to the minister, his son Vikas Kishore lives at his Lucknow residence but he was in Delhi when Srivastava, described as his friend, was murdered at the house.

The pistol used by the accused to shoot Srivastava is a licensed weapon owned by Vikas Kishore. His arms licence was valid only in Uttar Pradesh, so he did not take the pistol with him, Kaushal Kishore claimed.

The police have registered a case under Arms Ac against the minister's son and a report has been forwarded to the concerned office for cancellation of the licence of the minister's son's pistol.

Rai also said, ''People are fed up with inflation and corruption. The BJP is focused only on winning elections. They have nothing to do with the issues pertaining to the public. The Congress will protest against the BJP over these issues and expose them.'' ''The Congress will not only defeat the BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, but also defeat it in the 2027 Assembly elections,'' he added.

The UP Congress chief said the party will take out a symbolic march on September 7 in all the districts of the state on the occasion of the one-year completion of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

He added that he will participate in the yatra in Prayagraj, which will be taken out from Anand Bhavan and end at Chandrashekhar Azad Park.

Ajay Rai was appointed as UP Congress chief on August 17.