The INDIA bloc wrote to the Election Commission for allegedly putting its Lok Sabha candidate under house arrest by the Uttar Pradesh police, while the residence of one of his relatives was subjected to an early morning raid on the day of the elections.
The raid, which took place in the Ambedkarnagar constituency, targeted Lavkush Verma, a relative of Lalji Verma, a prominent leader of the Samajwadi Party and a candidate representing the INDIA bloc, reports The Wire.
According to reports, police officers knocked on the doors of Lavkush Verma's residence as polling was underway. When there was no response, they allegedly breached the boundary walls to gain entry. Lalji Verma arrived at the scene shortly after and engaged in a heated argument with the police, claiming they had not shown a relevant warrant.
Lalji Verma asserted that he and his family were effectively placed under house arrest for several hours, preventing him from meeting with party workers. However, Dr Kaustubh, the Superintendent of Police in Ambedkar Nagar, refuted these claims, stating that the purpose of the raid was to apprehend Lavkush Verma in connection with a complaint filed against him for allegedly distributing cash.
Lalji Verma denied the allegations, stating that his relative had merely withdrawn money from the bank and was not involved in any illegal activity. He accused the police of acting with malafide intentions to tarnish his reputation and influence the ongoing elections.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition, with leaders from the Samajwadi Party and Congress accusing the ruling BJP of abusing its power to suppress dissent and manipulate the electoral process.
Arvind Kumar Singh, a senior leader of the Samajwadi Party, has written to the Election Commission, alleging that the police are acting at the behest of the BJP to create a hostile environment for the opposition.
In a statement, Akhilesh Yadav, the chief of the Samajwadi Party, condemned the raid as an attempt to defame Lalji Verma and undermine the integrity of the electoral process. He accused the BJP of resorting to desperate measures due to the fear of losing the election.
The Congress also joined in the criticism, with Anil Yadav, the organisational secretary of the party in UP, condemning the BJP government for its alleged dictatorial tactics. He claimed that the BJP was willing to stoop to any level to avoid electoral defeat.