Addressing the media in the holy city, Rai accused the government of misusing power and shielding influential figures in serious criminal matters. To dramatize his protest, he displayed a toy bulldozer and blew a whistle repeatedly, a gesture widely interpreted as a sarcastic reference to the government’s frequent use of bulldozers as a symbol of administrative action. Rai said the theatrics were meant to expose what he described as selective enforcement of the law.
At the center of his criticism was the alleged codeine syrup case, which Rai claimed was being deliberately mishandled. He alleged that instead of ensuring accountability, efforts were being made to protect those involved in the illicit trade of the banned substance. According to him, the case reflects a deeper failure of governance and a troubling pattern of political interference in law enforcement processes.
Rai also raised questions over the legal proceedings involving former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, particularly regarding his appearance in court. He suggested that the focus on Thakur’s actions contrasted sharply with the government’s alleged leniency toward the main accused in the codeine syrup case. This, Rai argued, pointed to an attempt to divert attention and weaken scrutiny of those allegedly responsible.
Throughout the press conference, Rai maintained that the rule of law was being compromised and demanded transparency and impartial action from the authorities. He called for an independent and fair investigation, asserting that public confidence in institutions would erode further if such cases continued to be handled selectively.
The episode adds to the intensifying political confrontation in Uttar Pradesh, where law-and-order issues and allegations of bias in administrative action remain central to opposition criticism. Rai’s protest in Varanasi underscores the Congress party’s attempt to spotlight what it sees as inconsistencies in governance, signaling that such मुद्दे are likely to remain at the forefront of the state’s political discourse in the days ahead.
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