Declare Lucknow as disturbed area: Mulayam

LUCKNOW, Sep 26 (UNI): Former Defence Minister and Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav today demanded that the state capital of Lucknow should immeditaely be declared as "disturbed area" as the crime rate here had assumed alarming propositions.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the law and order situation in the state capital had gone beyond control and some "urgent" measures were required.

He said that the Raj Nath Singh government had been unable to check crime, Lucknow should be handed over to the Central forces.

Mr Yadav also sought intervention of the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee as Lucknow parlaimentary was represented by him."It is ironical that the criminals were being protected by the state government in the PMs constituency, which is going through a real bad phase", he alleged.

The reaction of sp leader came in the wake of sensational double murder of a doctor couple in the posh Gomti Nagar locality in Lucknow on Sunday."As many as five doctors had been killed here recent by much to the shock of medico community," he pointed out.

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav alleged that under the BJP regime the doctors in the state were forced to pay "goonda tax" to the criminals."Nothing could be expected from the government as it blatantly backed most of the criminals and even some of them have been made members of Vidhan Parishad and Vidhan Sabha", he added.

"This is due to government-criminal nexus that none of the case of murders of doctors has been worked out so far", Mr Yadav alleged.

The Former Defence Mnister said while all the criminals were at large, the government was prompt to arrest students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activist for displaying anti-national sentiments."Out of 13 SIMI activists arrested recently, at least nine were innocent school going boys," he said.

Mr Yadav said, "If SIMI activists were charged with giving objectionable speeches, it should be probed under the circumstances they gave such speeches".

In reply to a question, the SP leader termed as "shamelessness of the state government to convene session of State Legislature from today."It is improper on the part of the government to have legislature session after members of the main opposition had alreday resigned from the Vidhan Sabha", he added.Wounded Taliban turns to American people