Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Surendra Singh on Friday said the firing incident in Reoti area which killed a 46-year-old man on Thursday was unfortunate but it was an act of self-defence. “If he hadn’t fired, then dozens of his relatives would’ve been killed. Wrongdoers should be punished under law. What happened shouldn’t have happened but police should also act against other group which attacked women with sticks, iron rods,” the MLA from Bairia Assembly said.
Surendra Singh is known for his controversial remarks. After Hathras gang-rape, the BJP MLA said incidents like these can be stopped with help of good values. All parents should teach their daughters good values.
On Thursday, Jaiprakash alias Gama was killed when Dhirendra Pratap Singh, district unit president of the BJP ex-servicemen cell, opened fire at a meeting convened for the allocation of two fair price shops in Ballia district.
In a statement, the UP government said chief minister Adityanath has taken cognizance of the Ballia incident and directed that the SDM, CO and the police personnel on the spot be suspended immediately and the strictest action be taken against the accused. The role of the officers would be investigated and, if they were found responsible (for the incident), criminal proceedings would be initiated, the statement added.
“He had no other option. It was a do-or-die situation for him,” Sing said, admitting that the accused is his close associate. “How can I deny that he is my close associate? Not only mine, he is a close associate of BJP as his family votes for us and he worked for us in polls. Everyone who votes for us is a close associate. But I decry the incident and the administration’s one-sided probe,” he said.
“Nobody is looking at the pain of six women who have been injured in the incident. Dhirendra Singh fired in self-defence,” the BJP MLA added.
He said six people from Dhirendra Pratap Singh’s group were injured in the incident and one of them was hospitalised in Varanasi but nobody was listening to them.
