‘Can’t stop course of nature,’ says Uttar Pradesh minister on journalist death

Allahabad: Commenting over the alleged murder of a journalist in Uttar Pradesh, the state’s Horticulture Minister Parasnath Yadav has controversially said, ‘You can’t fight nature.”

Yadav said this while speaking to journalists in Allahabad on Sunday.

The insensitive remark comes at a time when there is widespread anger over the case, in which a state minister, Ram Murti Verma is a suspect.

“There are some incidents that happen in the course of nature and destiny,” he said.

Read: Uttar Pradesh scribe torched, FIR names minister Ram Murti Varma

When asked about Verma, Yadav said that stringent action would be taken if charges against him were proven.

Journalist Jagendra Singh was set on fire during a police raid in his house on June 1. His family members claim that a police officer set him on fire for an allegedly derogatory Facebook post against Ram Murti Varma.

Read: Journalist thrashed, dragged behind motorcycle in Uttar Pradesh

Police, meanwhile, insisted that the journalist immolated himself during the police raid and received about 60 per cent burn injuries in the incident.

Before succumbing to his burn injuries, Singh had made a statement to the police, which was later broadcast on news channels.

His family is now demanding a CBI investigation.