Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said that if anything happens to his party MP, Ramji Lal Suman, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be responsible for it.
He alleged that the chief minister was promoting a "hidden underground force" which is humiliating people and targeting opposition voices.
The remarks come in the wake of an attack on Suman's residence in Agra by members of the Karni Sena.
Last month, the outfit protested Suman's statement in Parliament, where he referred to Rajput king Rana Sanga as a "traitor".
"If any incident happens with him (Suman) or anyone else or even if he is humiliated, the only person responsible is the chief minister. He is encouraging these groups just like Hitler used to have troopers," he told reporters after welcoming new members to the party.
The SP chief alleged that a "hidden underground force" was operating in the state, targeting individuals and suppressing dissent.
"They are acting like stormtroopers, humiliating citizens at will. This force has been created and empowered by the ruling regime," Yadav said.
He also alleged that those who once claimed "zero tolerance" against corruption are now embroiled in it themselves.
"One of their own officers was caught (demanding money for clearing an investment proposal). He must be hiding at the chief minister's residence," he claimed without naming anyone specifically.
Yadav was referring to IAS officer Abhishek Prakash, who was posted as Invest UP CEO and recently suspended by the government after his name appeared in a bribery case.
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