UP top cop touches feet of Samajwadi Party general secretary

LUCKNOW: In a shocking incident, which shows how bureaucracy and the police services in Uttar Pradesh (UP) have been politicized, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Etah, Ajay Mohan was caught on camera touching feet of Ramgopal Yadav, senior leader of the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and brother of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Yadav was in Etah on Tuesday to inaugurate a medical camp organized by a private organization. As soon as he got out of his four wheelers, SP workers rushed forward to greet him. Many jostled to touch his feet and seek 'blessings'. The SSP was also standing with the crowd and reportedly touched the feet of Yadav, who is also SP's national general secretary and Rajya Sabha member.
The video footage was aired by several news channels on Wednesday, kicking up a storm with Opposition parties criticizing the cop and the government. While Yadav evaded queries when asked about the conduct of the SSP, the latter clarified that he did not touch Yadav's feet, but bent to remove people touching the feet. Yadav at present enjoys number two position in the SP after Mulayam Singh Yadav.
However, SP leader Ram Asrey Kushwaha told reporters that there are many in politics who have relatives in government services and vice-versa. "Nothing wrong if somebody in government service touches feet of an elderly relative in politics. Touching feet is a mark of respect towards elders in Hindu tradition," he said.
In a similar incident, in February 2011, Personal Security Officer (PSO) of Mayawati, the then chief minister of the state, went beyond his call of duty and cleaned her shoes when they got too dusty after she visited a village in Auriya district of the state. As soon as she stepped out of her chopper, her PSO quickly slipped out a handkerchief from his pocket and began cleaning her shoes.
Reacting at Mayawati's incident, Akhilesh Yadav, now chief minister of the state, had then described it unfortunate and said that officers in UP were working agents of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Interestingly, the BSP leaders who had then accused media of blowing incident out of proportion, now say that the officers in UP are working as SP's cadre.