Suspension of SDM: UP CM rubbishes Oppn allegations

Rubbishing the allegations that the suspension of Gautam Budh Nagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate had come under pressure from the mining mafia, UP CM said the step was taken because there was a possibility of communal tension.

Lucknow: Rubbishing the allegations by opposition parties that the suspension of Gautam Budh Nagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate had come under pressure from the mining mafia, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the step was taken because there was a possibility of communal tension brewing up in the area.

"There are many such incidents where there is a chance of communal tension erupting, it becomes necessary to take certain administrative decision to prevent it. Therefore we have taken this decision" (of suspending the magistrate), he told reporters at the Bangalore International Airport here. "When we don`t take any decision, you (media) complain of our indecision and if we take, you say it is a harsh decision," the Chief Minister said. A 2009-batch IAS officer posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Gautam Budh Nagar in September last year, 28-year-old Durga Shakti Nagpal was penalised ostensibly for the demolition of a wall at a disputed place of worship. She had led a crackdown on unauthorised mining in the district and got over two dozen FIRs registered against those involved in illegally removing sand. Opposition parties had alleged that the suspension order has come under pressure from the mining mafia. On news reports that the Samajwadi Party led government had forwarded a request to the civil aviation ministry to permit to take his car and guards right up to planes at all airports in India, Yadav said he has neither asked for such a privilege nor keen on enjoying such benefits. "It is a possibility that due to security reasons somebody must have made a demand (to permit to take his car and guards right up to planes at all airports in India). However, it is left to the agencies concerned to take a decision on the matter. There is no demand from our side," he said. PTI