Who are ‘top’ people who don’t want action against corrupt, Priyanka asks UP govt over audio clip controversy

LUCKNOW: Congress general-secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government over a purported audio clip in which state minister Swati Singh allegedly threatened a police officer, and sought to know who are the “upar” (top) people who do not want any action against the corrupt.

Priyanka Gandhi. PTI file photo

Lucknow, November 17

Congress general-secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government over a purported audio clip in which state minister Swati Singh allegedly threatened a police officer, and sought to know who are the “upar” (top) people who do not want any action against the corrupt.

“A minister in UP’s BJP government says orders have come from the top, no action is to be taken against the corrupt. Who are these people at the ‘top’ who do not want action against the corrupt? DHFL-PF scam, SIDCO-PF scam, Homeguard salary scam and LDA scam. Why action has not been initiated against the big fishes in all these scams,” Priyanka Gandhi asked in a tweet in Hindi.

Her tweet comes a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath asked for an inquiry report on the purported audio clip of state minister Swati Singh.

“A report in this connection has been sought from the SSP Lucknow and will be submitted to the chief minister at the earliest,” the state’s DGP OP Singh said on Saturday.

In the audio clip that surfaced on social media, the minister is heard directly questioning Circle Officer, Lucknow Cant., Binu Singh about an FIR filed against Ansal Developers and expressing displeasure over it.

Opposition parties including Samajwadi Party and Congress have attacked the Adityanath government over the clip, questioning its claim of zero tolerance on corruption.

In the audio, the minister is allegedly telling the CO that a “fake case” had been filed and that there were orders from the higher-ups that a case will not be registered against the Ansals.

Singh is also apparently saying that the case in question is a “high-profile case” and the chief minister is aware of it.

She is heard asking the CO to sit with her to resolve the matter if she wanted to continue working.

The Samajwadi Party, in a tweet on November 15, quoting the alleged recorded conversation, had said: “‘The matter is high profile and is under the cognizance of the chief minister. What inquiry will you do? Come and sit down’. Is this the zero tolerance for corruption which the chief minister is not tired of speaking about? Shame!”

UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu, in a tweet yesterday, had said: “UP minister is threatening the Lucknow Cant CO in favour of scamster Ansal Builder. Madam minister is saying this matter is in the know of the CM sahab, there are orders from above that there should be no FIR in this case. See the hold of scamsters under BJP government, how the minister is threatening the guardians of law”. PTI