Maya sacrifices caste equation to please cops

FORMER MINISTER HELD: Nishad was produced before the local court and sent to Maharajganj on transit remand.

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Lucknow: Jamuna Nishad, the sacked fisheries minister in the Mayawati government has finally been arrested. Nishad was shown the door by Mayawati after an FIR was lodged against him in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj. On Monday, the Chief Minister had forced Nishad to resign but was reluctant that he be arrested as he represents the politically strong Nishad community, an important vote back of the BSP.

Mayawati had then said: "Hum bina janch kareye hue, kisi jaldi baji main kuch nahin kareinge." ("We will not do anything against the minister without proper investigation.")

Nishad has been accused of inciting a mob - protesting the rape of a girl. One of the mob shot at and killed a constable.

However, the death of the police constable, Krishanand Rai, caused huge resentment among the UP cops. Mayawati finally gave in to pressure and on Tuesday, she instructed her top cops to arrest the minister when he came to meet her at her official residence in Lucknow.

The DGP of Uttar Pradesh, Vikram Singh , said,"CM ke ghar meeting thi. Hum ne arrest kar liya."("We arrested him when he was on his way to attend a meeting at the CM residence.")

After his arrest, Nishad was produced before the local court and sent to Maharajganj on transit remand. However, the sacked minister chose to give his arrest a political colour saying: "Main janta ke liye jail ja raha hun." ("I am going to jail for the sake of the public.")

This is the first time that Mayawati has been in a tight spot about whether she should get one of her own ministers arrested and risk hurting the Nishad community or whether she should let him go and face the resentment of the UP Police force.

By getting the minister arrested, it seems that for the first time ever, Mayawati has chosen to sacrifice her caste equations and keep the UP Police happy.