BJP backs MLA Pooja Pal for praising Yogi Adityanath, SP expels her

BJP MLA Pooja Pal praised UP CM Yogi Adityanath for his “zero-tolerance” approach against crime, citing justice in her husband’s murder case. The Samajwadi Party expelled her for anti-party activities, sparking political debate over law, order, and party discipline

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh BJP on Thursday welcomed Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Pooja Pal’s commendation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s “zero-tolerance” approach towards crime and mafia, while lashing out at the “PDA group” for allegedly failing to defend “a daughter from an extremely backward community.” The comments came on the day when Pal was expelled by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for “anti-party” activities.

During a 24-hour marathon discussion on “Vision Document 2047′ in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Pooja Pal, whose husband and former BSP MLA Raju Pal was murdered by gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, lauded the Chief Minister for delivering justice in her husband’s case. She credited Adityanath’s unwavering stance against crime for addressing a grief that, she said, “no one bothered to see for years.”

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Pal emphasised that countless families in Prayagraj had endured similar tragedies and had finally received justice due to the Yogi government’s tough measures. She noted that Atiq Ahmed, her husband’s killer, had been “brought to the ground” through the state’s “zero-tolerance” policy on crime.

SP National President Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday issued an expulsion order to her saying, “The work done by you is anti-party and serious indiscipline. Therefore, you are expelled from the Samajwadi Party with immediate effect. Along with this, you are also removed from all other posts of Samajwadi Party and now you will not participate in any programme/meeting.”

The SP chief, in his letter dated August 14 addressed to MLA Pooja Pal, said, “You have been involved in anti-party activities and despite a warning, you did not stop these activities, due to which the party suffered a lot.”

Speaking to IANS, Minister Anil Rajbhar said, “She should speak the truth. But today, the true face of the Samajwadi Party has been exposed. Those who keep chanting the slogan of ‘PDA, PDA’ were not allowing a daughter from an extremely backward community, who is also a woman and a widow, to speak. I would say that the entire State should listen to what Pooja Pal said today in the Assembly.”

Minister Sanjay Nishad told IANS, “What resides in the heart eventually comes out; this is true. I thank her for it.” Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, in conversation with IANS, said that the Yogi government ensures the rule of law in the state and that the guilty are punished.

“Pooja Pal, whose husband was murdered, endured pain and suffering for many years. She feels that under CM Yogi’s leadership, she has received justice. There is rule of law, no discrimination, the law functions properly, and the guilty are punished under the Yogi government,” he said.

BJP MLA Sidharth Nath Singh also supported her statement, telling IANS, “It is true, and if someone is saying it, there should be no objection. The fact is that the CM has greatly improved law and order over the past eight years.”

The Samajwadi Party, however, distanced itself from Pal’s praise and targeted the State government over what it called the “deterioration” of law and order in Uttar Pradesh. SP MLA Pallavi Patel told IANS, “The Ministers of this government are overconfident about the law and order in the state. One can visit different corners of the state and see how it is being destroyed by miscreants who are supported by the government. As for any member, when we stand in this House to speak, every member is free to express their own ideology and ideas in the way they wish.”

Raju Pal, then serving as a BSP MLA, was assassinated just days after defeating Ashraf Ahmed, Atiq’s brother, in a bye-election in the Allahabad West constituency. Years later, on April 15, 2023, Atiq and Ashraf were killed when three assailants, posing as journalists, shot them at point-blank range outside Colvin Hospital in Prayagraj while they were speaking to the media.