The Uttar Pradesh BJP has appointed Shivendra Singh (40) as its general secretary.
Among the newly announced Ayodhya Mahanagar unit office-bearers in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has appointed Shivendra Singh (40), named in several cases including under the Gangster Act, as the general secretary, drawing concerns and criticism within the party.
On Sunday, the party had finalised the list of office-bearers for various districts of the Awadh region, including Ayodhya, where it announced a list of 27 office-bearers. The list sported Singh’s name, one of three general secretaries in the Mahanagar unit.
Leaders within the party, however, questioned the move of selecting a person with a “criminal background” for the important post. “This is against the party’s ideology. The party should have been cautious, especially when it was about high-profile district Ayodhya where we talk about Ram Rajya,” said a senior party leader.
Following the controversy, sources said Singh was not seen with the other newly appointed office-bearers when they visited the Ram Mandir with Ayodhya Mahanagar unit president Kamlesh Srivastava on Monday.
“When Shivendra’s name was discussed in the meeting, no details were provided about the cases in which he was named. But one objection was raised that he has never held a position in the party. Later, we got information about the criminal cases against him. It was checked from other local leaders who confirmed that he is the same person named in the cases… there was even a controversy when he was in jail and had organised a birthday celebration inside,” claimed a senior BJP leader.
In July 2018, in a purported video that had gone viral, Singh was seen cutting a cake in a barrack in Faizabad jail.
The cases registered against him include charges of attempt to murder, rioting, criminal conspiracy, extortion, cheating, etc.
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When asked about these cases, numbering 18, Singh claimed that the list being shared by his opponents was fake. “There were only four or five cases. And only two are pending at present. These are the cases registered by opponents when I contested elections of the student union in Ayodhya,” he said.
Asked about the Gangsters Act case, Singh claimed he was booked during the Samajwadi Party government’s rule because he was fighting against them. “But I was acquitted in that case and it is closed now,” he claimed.
On the video of his birthday celebration inside jail, he said, “That was me. I was in jail in a student election related case.”
Singh further claimed that most cases were lodged during the SP rule when he was contesting the election of Cane Union director in Faizabad. His brother, Deependra Singh, is currently Director of Cane Union in Ayodhya.
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Meanwhile, Ayodhya Mahanagar president Srivastava also termed the reports of criminal cases against Singh as “rumours”. “He had contested the student union elections. He is currently district president of Block Pramukh Sangh,” he said.
