Raging controversy puts Mayawati on backfoot

LUCKNOW: With the Samajwadi Party (SP) in an attacking mode over the police recruitment scam, the Mayawati government — for a change — has been forced to go on the backfoot. 

On Thursday, the Shailja Kant Mishra inquiry commission was disbanded. The panel, headed by additional director-general of police Mishra, was probing irregularities in the recruitment of over 22,000 police constables by the previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

What further gave an indication of the government's defensive mode was the dithering over narco analysis test of guilty IPS officials and a senior SP leader as recommended by Mishra. Cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh during his media briefing on Thursday preferred to remain vague on the question despite repeated queries.

The change in stand apparently came after SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother and SP general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav issued strong statements on the issue. “Shailja Kant Mishra will be sent to jail if the SP is voted to power," Mulayam roared in Gunnaur (Budaun). Brother Shivpal said in Meerut: “Mayawati has heaped insults on all lady constables … people who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others."