Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and Head of Technical Education Department, Ashish Patel has expressed serious concern about his safety. Taking aim at the Special Task Force (STF) of the state police, he said that if any conspiracy or accident happens to them in the “fight for social justice”, then the STF will be completely responsible for it.
Reaction to media trials and corruption allegations
Ashish Patel wrote on social media platform X that the media trial being conducted against him is unacceptable.
- Honest administrative process: Patel said the promotion process was headed by the then Principal Secretary M. Devaraj and had the approval of the Chief Minister’s Office.
- Demand for CBI inquiry: He said, “I have said it before and am saying it again that if Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath deems it appropriate, a CBI inquiry can be conducted into all the decisions taken by me.”
Property check offer
Patel offered to probe the assets of himself and his wife Anupriya Patel (Union minister and chairperson of Apna Dal (S). He said that after becoming MP and MLA, the assets acquired can be investigated.
- Benefit to the deprived class: He called this conspiracy an attempt to suppress the voice of social justice.
- OBC and deprived class issue: Patel said that the promotion process has benefited the deprived class and OBC community, which is not acceptable to some people.
Serious allegations against STF
Making sharp allegations against the STF, Patel said, “If any conspiracy or accident happens to me in this fight for social justice, then the entire responsibility for it will be on the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh Police.”
- Strong basis: Speaking to PTI, he said, “If a cabinet minister is saying this, then there must be a basis for it.”
Controversy over promotion process
Samajwadi Party MLA from Sirathu and leader of Apna Dal (Kameravadi) Party Pallavi Patel has alleged irregularities in the appointment to the post of Head of the Department in the Technical Education Department.
- Violation of rules: Pallavi alleged that appointments were made on the basis of old rules instead of the new service rules.
- Dharna in the Assembly: He had also staged a dharna in the Assembly regarding this issue.
Ashish Patel’s questions
Ashish Patel raised questions without naming anyone:
- Why is only the minister being blamed?
- He asked, “If there have been irregularities in the process, then why are the names of the principal secretary and other responsible people not being taken?”
- Conspiracy behind dragging the name of the minister:
- He called it an attempt to defame his political character.
Allegations of conspiracy and talk of social justice
Patel said that the benefit that OBCs and deprived classes have received from the promotion process is troubling some people.
- Conspiracy on caste basis: He termed this controversy as a conspiracy to crush the rights of the deprived class.
- Category wise list: He shared the category wise list of promotions, saying it shows who have benefited from the process.
