Jaiswal slams UP on law and order front

Lucknow, Mar 31 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal today slammed the Samajwadi Party-led government in Uttar Pradesh for failing to improve the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Jaiswal maintained the deteriorating law and order situation was in UP showed no signs of improvement.

''Yes, we keep telling UP to improve the situation...had they been listening, we could have seen signs of it,'' he said to a poser.

The union minister said the fall in law and order situation was not only bad for the common man, but also for the industrial process of the state. ''Besides the common man, the law and order also effects the industries.

Mr Jaiswal asserted the Centre was against imposing President's Rule against states. ''It is a government elected by the people...let the people decide whether it should continue.'' Commenting on the naxal menace, he said although the problem was limited to 15 per cent of the country, it was a ''serious situation.

Applauding Orrisa and Andhra Praesh in tackling naxalism, he said the state governments should understand that naxalites thrived on the failures of the state governments.

The union minister observed naxal leaders were worried about the fact that people were now uniting against violence. ''Only economic development of the affected areas can help us solve the malady,'' he noted.

To a poser, Mr Jaiswal said the centre took the development reports received from state governments on face value. ''There has been no tradition of sending central representatives to states to counter check their claims. However, on specific complaints against officials, we can ask agencies like the CBI to probe the matter.'' He maintained that utilisation certificate of central funds by state governments were like report cards, which showed how good a state had fared in tackiling the menace.

He asked the state governments to ensure that proper and immediate compensation was paid towards tribal lands aquired for mining or industrialisation.

''The governments can also ensure job opportunities to local youth in such industries or inducting them in India Reserve Battalions (IRBs). This will help us wean away people from naxalite movement,'' he advised.

UNI NAB VS VD RAI2058