Lucknow: 'Social engineering' by Chief Minister Mayawati remains perhaps the biggest political event of 2007 in Uttar Pradesh. The BSP experiment in the Assembly Polls saw brahmin and dalits coming together to ensure majority for BSP.
The 'social engineering' formula would also be put to test at the forthcoming Lok Sabha by-election in Ballia, where BSP has fielded a Brahmin candidate.
Uttar Pradesh got a majority government after a gap of 15 years. The last time the state had a majority government was in 1991 when the BJP had stormed to power on the Ram wave.
For the first time in the state's history, a drive was launched for registration of FIRs pertaining to cases during the past three years. The government formed special cells in the police stations across the state for registration of FIRs by those whose cases were not registered during the previous Samajwadi Party regime.
Over 10,000 FIRs have been filed in different police stations in the state, mostly against SP leaders. The party suspects that its leaders and workers could be targeted by the ruling BSP. "We will resist any attempt to frame party leaders and workers," said state SP secretary S R S Yadav.
Soon after its installation, the BSP government ordered an inquiry into the allegations of large-scale irregularities in the recruitment of police/PAC constables during the previous regime.
The government cancelled recruitment of over 18,000 police and PAC constables and also suspended 25 senior IPS officers, though their suspensions were later revoked.
The year 2008 may witness speedy trial in the Babri Masjid demolition case at the special Raebareli court. The trial in the cases against BJP leader L K Advani and others formally began this year with the deposition of the first witness, 15 years after the demolition.
The year also witnessed a slew of schemes named after dalit icon B R Ambedkar and BSP founder Kanshiram and reprieve for Chief Minister Mayawati in the Rs 175-crore Taj Heritage Corridor scam when Governor T V Rajeshwar refused to sanction her prosecution.
Fear of terror attacks remained very high in the state as the government formed an Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on the lines of Maharashtra following serial blasts in the court compounds in Varanasi, Lucknow and Faizabad, which claimed 14 lives later in the year.
The BSP, which stormed to power on the law and order plank, took a series of measures to check the rising crime graph in the state. The government introduced a tough legislation -- UP Control of Organised Crime Bill -- in the Assembly though it got stuck in the Legislative Council. It is now considering an ordinance to implement the legislation.
However, the state government came in for scathing criticism in the courts and had to beat a hasty retreat over its decision to demolish the Ambedkar Sports Complex at Gomti Nagar and several government bungalows.
Bureau Report
