Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party's seven years of rule in Uttar Pradesh, saying that there is no law left in the state.
He said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath might have claimed to modernise the police force, however it is nothing "more than a sham". He accused the BJP government of destroying the state-of-the art police response system -- set up during his party's regime -- out of vengeance.
Akhilesh asked how can they "be expected to make the police force technically smart, efficient and capable?"
His comments came after Adityanath's remarks earlier in the day, saying that the rule of law is essential to good governance and state police had done an excellent job in maintaining it.
Further sharpening is remarks, Akhilesh said that the law and order situation is in shambles, criminals are berserk, shots are being fired in broad daylight and murders are being committed.
"Anarchy is at its peak," the SP chief said, adding that the BJP workers and leaders are hell bent on it. Noting a recent event, he said that bullets were openly fired between two groups in Bareilly, adding that the "public is troubled by the injustice and atrocities of the BJP government. There is anger among the people."
He said that the BJP is out to get revenge after its defeat in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, noting that the government has no control over the state police.
Akhilesh said that under his party's rule in the state, the police was modernised to help improve the law and order situation.
He said that the police was equipped with new technology, adding that the dial 100 service was brought in on the lines of the New York Police. The former UP chief minister claimed that thousands of modern vehicles were also given to the police department.
He said instead of being protectors, cops have become "predator" of the public.
"Innocents are being tortured. People are dying in police stations. Criminals and BJP leaders are flouting the law and order," Akhilesh said.
(With agency inputs)