Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Monday termed the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, “scripted”.
He also said that whatever happened in Uttar Pradesh, was not Atiq Ahmed’s ‘funeral procession’, but that of ‘law’. While talking to ANI, Yadav said, “I have no sympathies for crime or criminals. There are laws and Constitution to eliminate crime. Even the assassins of a PM were made to undergo trial and they were punished.”
He added, “What happened in UP was not the funeral procession of Atiq Ahmed but that of ‘law’. UP tops in terms of custodial deaths. This has been done for cheap publicity. Everyone knows the kind of rule in UP…This seemed scripted.”
#WATCH | Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav says, “I have no sympathies for crime or criminals. There are laws & Constitution to eliminate crime. Even the assassins of a PM were made to undergo trial & they were punished. What happened in UP was not the funeral procession of… pic.twitter.com/7Q5PMRDZIU
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2023
Meanwhile, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said that the Police should have taken care of their security. “UP government should think about the law and order in the state. The Court is there to provide justice, killing criminals is never a solution,” Kumar added.
The mafia-turned-politician Atiq and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were killed on Saturday while being taken for a medical in Prayagraj.
Atiq Ahmed was accused in the 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case and also in the Umesh Pal murder case which happened in February this year.
Two SITs have been constituted to investigate the killings of gangster-turned politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj, UP
A three-member SIT, headed by ADG Prayagraj zone Bhanu Bhaskar, including CP Prayagraj and Director FSL has been formed by DGP RK… pic.twitter.com/sbGje6Nj8I
— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2023
Meanwhile, Tejashwi’s remarks have invited a discourse as he called the late gangster ‘Atiq ji’. BJP has taken a jibe at Bihar’s Deputy CM for seemingly sympathising with a criminal.
Bihar Deputy CM, #TejashwiYadav addresses #AtiqAhmed as ‘Atiq Ji’.
This is not a new thing. In the past as well, RJD has extended support to gangsters. Congress’ Digvijaya Singh had also termed Laden as ‘Osama Ji’: @NikhilAnandBJP@kmayank9 | @MeenakshiUpreti pic.twitter.com/WBCLsdZUxb
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) April 17, 2023
#AtiqAhmed was a gangster limited to one district & it’s the media which has focused on him, making a mountain out of a molehill : @IPSinghSp
Opposition will only try to portray Atiq in good light, call him Atiq Ji etc. What happened is wrong but is being probed: @AnilaSingh_BJP pic.twitter.com/gjyBgPS89W
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) April 17, 2023
A similar case happened when an SP leader refered Atiq Ahmed as ‘Atiq ji’ and BJP spokesperson Shehzaad Poonawalla targetted him for the remarks.
After OSAMA JI , HAFEEZ SAEED JI now Congress says ATIQ AHMAD JI
SP said encounter of a gangster will end bhaichara! Congress gives “ji” respect
No wonder such elements had free runNow Yogi ji has ensured such a crack down that those who like Mukhtar Ansari & ATIQ who were… pic.twitter.com/g2zAxXEziF
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) April 14, 2023
Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad was killed on April 13 in an encounter in Jhansi. He was killed along with Ghulam, both of whom were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj. Each of them carried a reward of Rs 5 lakhs on their heads.
Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were brought to the CJM Court in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh on the same day Asad was killed in the encounter.
