BJP MP seeks protection alleging torture

New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) BJP MP from Gorakhpur Yogi Aditya Nath today demanded protection, alleging that he was being falsely implicated in cases by the Uttar Pradesh Government.

''If I am not provided protection, I will quit my membership of the House today,'' he said, bursting into tears while raising the matter during the zero hour.

Mr Aditya Nath, who was detained recently on charge of breach of peace, said he had foresaken his family to take Sanyas for the good of the society, but he was being falsely projected as a criminal out of ''prejudice by the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government.'' The MP said he was detained at a place 20 km from Gorakahpur on January 26 on charge of breach of peace and lodged in jail for 11 days. ''When an appeal was filed in court against my arrest, several cooked up allegations were levelled against me and an FIR filed.'' As per the rule, a copy of the FIR should have been filed in the court within 24 hours but it was not done for seven days, he claimed, adding his workers were also being subjected to atrocities.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee interrupted the MP to say that he had called for a report from the Ministry. He said since the person against whom the allegation was levelled was not present in the House and the matter concerned another state, he could not intervene. He, however, assured the member that he would examine the matter. ''I will do my best,'' he said.

Earlier, Mr Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) wanted to know from the Speaker whether such treatment of an MP constituted breach of privilege.

Mr V K Malhotra (BJP) and Mr Prabhunath Singh (JD-U) also urged the Speaker to intervene as the MP had been ''shabbily treated'' by the Uttar Pradesh administration.

UNI