Akhilesh Yadav condemns attack on Owaisi's car; slams BJP over law & order situation in UP

Condemning the attack on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday asserted that violence is unacceptable in a democracy. Speaking to the media along with RLD president Jayant Chaudhary, he questioned the rationale for the attack.

Moreover, he chided BJP over the law and order situation in the state. This was a reference to the oft-repeated claim of BJP leaders that there is peace in UP as criminals have run away owing to the fear of the Yogi Adityanath-led government.

Ex-UP CM Akhilesh Yadav remarked, "I condemn it. It is sad. There is no place for violence in a democracy. If violence has happened, who are the culprits? What is the reason (for the attack)? Some culprits have been arrested. But their intention should also be revealed. These people used to claim that criminals have run away? If criminals ran away, who carried out this attack?"

Attack on Owaisi's car

On Thursday, Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that 3-4 assailants fired shots at his vehicle near the Chhajarsi toll plaza while he was heading to Delhi after campaigning in Kithaur, Meerut. As his car's tyres got punctured due to the bullets, he had to leave the site in another vehicle.

According to him, the assailants ran away and left their weapons at the spot. Hours after the incident, Republic TV accessed CCTV footage which showed one attacker in a red hoodie running after Owaisi's convoy, with his accomplice in a white hoodie firing a gun at the Chhajarsi toll plaza.

So far, the police have arrested two accused - Sachin and Shubham, in connection with the case. A day earlier, Owaisi was provided Z security cover by the Ministry of Home Affairs in the wake of this incident. Speaking on the floor of the Lok Sabha later in the day, the AIMIM supremo turned down the Z security cover, making it clear that he does not fear death.

Demanding that the assailants be booked under UAPA, Owaisi affirmed, "By giving me a Z category, you are saying that my life has more premium than other people of India. That is why I said I don't want a Z category. I have not come here for security I have come here for justice."