The body of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was laid to rest in the cemetery of Ghazipur on Saturday. The circumstances under which Mukhtar died should be investigated. The real cause of death should be found out. This is the principle of natural justice. And there is a provision for this in our law…that is why investigation is going on. But it is not right to express sympathy towards Mukhtar Ansari and do vote politics in the name of investigation because whether it was Akhilesh Yadav or Mayawati, Mukhtar Ansari got protection under both the regimes and he did not care about the rules and regulations at all. Who can forget those pictures when there were riots in Mau in 2005 and Mukhtar Ansari was roaming around the city in an open jeep waving weapons? At that time there was Mulayam Singh’s government. When Mukhtar was in jail in 2007, he used to reach the DGP’s office with a convoy of dozens of vehicles, sporting a moustache. Mayawati was the Chief Minister at that time. Then why was no one concerned about justice? Today Congress leaders are making statements on the death of Mukhtar Ansari, but today Ajay Rai, who is the state president of Congress, in 1991, his brother Awadhesh Rai was murdered by Mukhtar Ansari. Justice was not provided for 32 years, then why did no one raise voice? In this case, after 32 years, Mukhtar Ansari was sentenced to life imprisonment last year during the Yogi Adityanath government. He was serving sentence in the same case.
In 2005, Mukhtar was in jail and his goons killed seven people including BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai by firing indiscriminately from AK-47. The only witness left in this case, Shashikant Rai, got him murdered in 2006. Got contractor Manna Singh murdered. Then in this case the witness Ram Singh Maurya was murdered. In 1988, he escaped from custody after firing at two policemen. Deadly attack on ASP. The police officer who seized the automatic rifle from the possession of Mukhtar Ansari’s goons, invoked POTA law against Mukhtar but nothing happened to Mukhtar. On the contrary, the police officer had to leave his job. Mukhtar used to get murders done while sitting in jail. His rule continued in jail. There was a badminton court and all kinds of facilities for that. In 37 years, 66 cases of murder, kidnapping, land grab and extortion were registered against him. But there was no punishment in any case.
When Yogi Adityanath’s government came, Punjab Police took him away in a case. And the Congress government refused to hand over Mukhtar to the UP government. The case had to be fought till the Supreme Court. After that he was brought to Banda jail but he started his business in Banda jail also. Then action was taken against the policemen also. In the last five years, Mukhtar Ansari has been convicted in 8 cases dating back thirty years. The process of justice had started. He knew that he was not going to be released from jail and the facilities available in the jail had been stopped. That’s why he was upset and ill. Mukhtar was 63 years old, was a diabetes patient and had heart problems. Therefore his death is not shocking. I don’t think there is a need to shed many tears over the death of such a hardcore criminal. But still those who want to know the real reason of his death. Instead of doing politics on this issue, they should wait for the investigation report of the Judicial Magistrate. (Rajat Sharma)
Watch: ‘Aaj Ki Baat, Rajat Sharma Sath’ full episode of 29 March 2024
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