'SP expelled me for naming Atiq Ahmad': Pooja Pal attacks Akhilesh Yadav after ouster

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) Expelled Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator Pooja Pal launched a scathing attack on SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, alleging that her expulsion was orchestrated to protect the party’s links with slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his followers.

Speaking to IANS on Saturday, Pal said the move has endangered her life and emboldened Ahmad’s supporters, particularly in Prayagraj. Pal, a Dalit leader and widow of former BSP MLA Raju Pal, said she was expelled merely hours after raising Atiq Ahmad’s name in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

“They expelled me because I raised a right issue. SP felt bad because I exposed their discomfort with Atiq Ahmad’s name. Since then, his followers in Prayagraj have become more aggressive, and my security is at risk,” she alleged.

She further accused SP leaders of using derogatory remarks against her, claiming she had also written a letter to Akhilesh Yadav warning that if she were killed, responsibility would lie with SP. “The way my expulsion was handled has boosted the morale of Atiq Ahmad’s supporters. I receive threats on calls and social media, but Akhilesh Yadav remains silent,” Pal said.

Pal also reiterated her charge that SP leader and Akhilesh Yadav’s wife, MP Dimple Yadav, had voted for the BJP in the past.

“Everyone knows this, even newspapers reported it. If leaders like Dimple Yadav can vote for the BJP for political reasons, then why am I being targeted? I am a widow from a Dalit family, seeking justice. If I voted for the BJP, what wrong did I do?” she asked.

Targeting Akhilesh Yadav directly, Pal alleged that despite Atiq Ahmad’s formal expulsion from SP in 2017, his men continue to enjoy proximity with the party. “When Atiq Ahmad’s son was killed in an encounter, these same people stood with SP. My expulsion has given them fresh strength,” she said, warning of a possible attack on her.

“If any mishap happens to me, the real culprit will be the Samajwadi Party,” she stressed.

--IANS

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