Uttar Pradesh Has Become a 'Crime State': Mayawati

Lucknow: BSP supremo Mayawati charged the Samajwadi Party government with reducing Uttar Pradesh into a "crime state" and termed Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as "ghoshna mukhya mantri (announcement chief minister)". "Soon after the present government came to power I had expressed my apprehensions in this regard. Most of the goonda and mafia elements, who had been jailed during my government, are now out. Because of them, life of people, especially women, is not safe," she told BSP's maharally.

"Women fear to venture out and innocent people are being murdered...UP has been reduced to crime state," she said. "In the six months of SP government there have been over a dozen and half incidents of riots and communal tension," she said, adding that the state had remained peaceful and seen development during her regime.

Attacking the chief minister, she claimed that he has been making mere announcements ever since SP has come to power. "He has even surpassed his father in making announcements and has become mere "ghoshna mukhya mantri", Mayawati said and alleged most of the welfare schemes were running on paper.