Maya sacks minister over cop's murder

ASKED TO LEAVE: Jamuna Nishad, a minister in Mayawati's cabinet was in the SP and now has moved to the BSP.

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Keywords: Jamuna Nishad , Minister Of State For Fisheries

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Sunday sacked Minister of State for Fisheries Jamuna Nishad for allegedly being a part of a mob that killed a police constable.

Jamuna Nishad has been detained for murdering a policeman in Maharajgunj near Gorakhpur in Eastern UP.

"I will not leave anyone who breaks the law,” says Mayawati.

The constable died after being shot at following the clashes between the minister, his supporters and the police in Gorakhpur’s Maharajganj district police station over the alleged rape of two Dalit girls.

Nishad allegedly forcibly entered the police station along with his supporters to protest against police inaction in the rape case. In the fight that followed, Nishad's supporters allegedly opened fire on a police constable. They are also accused of stealing arms from the station.

The chief minister has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh and jobs to the family of the deceased constable.

Jamuna Nishad, a minister in Mayawati’s cabinet was in the Samajwadi Party and now has moved to the BSP.

However, his change of parties hasn’t changed his political behaviour. He seems to be now paying a price for it.

Meanwhile, Nishad says he is not guilty. He says he only went to the Maharajgunj police station in eastern UP asking for strict action against police inaction in the rape case of a girl from his own community.

"I was just passing by,” says Nishad.

Eyewitnesses state that not only did the minister storm into the police station but his supporters even looted the police station.

However, this is not the first time that Mayawati is facing the embarrassment of heading a party where members flout laws.

A BSP Member of Parliament Mitra Sen Yadav was caught in the MP's human trafficking case in 2007. His son Anand Sen Yadav who took oath while being in jail last year was accused of kidnapping and murdering a young girl.

Another MP Uma Kant Yadav was accused of land grabbing in November 2007 and Mayawati got him arrested and suspended him.

Early this year, Ved Ram Bhati, Home Guards minister was charged along with his sons in a triple murder case. However, the police are yet to arrest him.

Mayawati not only has to deal with the ministers flouting laws time and again but is still facing the ire for being unable to control the spurt in crime in Noida.

Meanwhile, the record number of transfers of top police officers and bureaucrats has also created a sense of unease within the bureaucracy.