Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA makes Hindu-Muslim divide in power theft, clarifies

Lucknow: “Why no action has been taken against Muslims for power theft,” these were the words spoken by Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Sanjay Gupta during a telephonic conversation with an electricity official.

In a call recorded by government engineer Avinash Singh, BJP MLA from the Kaushambi district, Sanjay Gupta, was heard threatening him and demanding an account of how many Muslims he had taken action against.

"Give me data from April 1, how many Muslims you have acted against. Getting yourself transferred will not save you - wherever you are in Uttar Pradesh, I will have an investigation done. Go to a Muslim locality, see how electricity theft happens," Sanjay Gupta was heard shouting at the engineer who was trying to put his point forward.

"To hell with you and your department. I will speak to Lucknow. Only Hindus are being harassed. You are harassing businessmen and Hindus on purpose," fuming BJP MLA Sanjay Gupta was heard saying.

The phone call by Sanjay Gupta was made on June 15 after a series of raids by the department on businessmen suspected of electricity theft. Seven FIRs were filed after the raids.

Soon after the conversation of outraged BJP MLA got circulated, Sanjay Gupta said he was raising a "genuine grievance" based on figures available with him. "What I said to officials was that it's good that you go to houses of Hindus, but you should also go to houses of Muslims. It's based on latest data provided to me," he claimed.

The lawmaker of the Yogi Adityanath government was heard telling engineers at the electricity board office: "I only said you should not act only against one side. Whether it is a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian, if you act only against one community, do you think my people will leave me alone?"

The BJP government led by Yogi Adityanath came to power in Uttar Pradesh after a massive victory in 2017 state assembly elections.