Thaw between Mulayam govt, Raj Bhawan a far cry

Lucknow, Nov 23 (UNI) Any thaw in relations between Uttar Pradesh government and the Raj Bhawan does not seem in sight with Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and Governor T V Rajeswar entering into a verbal duel 'yet again' over some hard-hitting comments by the latter on the UP Police.

Reacting sharply to the Governor's remark in his Police Day parade address this morning, the CM said persons holding gubernatorial posts should exercise restraint in making such comments against the government.

The Governor whose adverse comments on UP's law and order situation have posed discomfiture to the government on many occasions in the past, made some harsh remarks on the state police machinery evoking sharp reaction from Mr Yadav.

Incidentally, it all happened on a day when Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswamy is in town to review poll preparedness in view of the assembly polls.

Mr Rajeswar in his address said the ''kidnapping industry'' was flourishing in Western UP. Questioning the impartiality of some policemen, the Governor claimed he had received more than 1,000 complaints in the recent UP civic poll.

The Governor may have received over a thousand complaints against the conduct of police force in recently concluded UP urban bodies poll, but all of them will not be correct, the CM maintained.

''There could be some isolated cases of policemen committing irregularities and my government is willing to take action if pointed out specifically,'' Mr Yadav told reporters at a news conference here.

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