Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Tuesday said that had he been in the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, he would have changed perception of law and order in the state within 15 days and advised Akhilesh not to hesitate in sending errant officers to jail.
"Had I been in place of Akhilesh, I would have ensured change (in perception) on law and order front in 15 days," Mulayam told media persons.
"District Magistrates and SPs should be made responsible for law and order and, if needed, action can be initiated against them. Those (officers) who are not listening or not following law should be sent to jail," he said.
Asking Akhilesh, who was sitting near him, to listen carefully to what he was saying, Mulayam said, "Under the Constitution, everyone is the same, so why they (officers) could not go to jail?"
When asked if Akhilesh was working under pressure, Mulayam said there was no pressure on him.
"There is no pressure on Akhilesh… I have not even talked to him for past 15-20 days..I give him advise but never pressurise him...I am not only his father, but party president also," Yadav said.
Declining to answer questions on Lok Sabha polls, Mulayam said tickets of some seats were changed and review of poll preparation was going on.
About reports that SP had put weak candidates in some seats to facilitate victory of Congress candidates, Mulayam said it was not so.
"SP has a mass base and those who get party ticket becomes strong," Mulayam said but did not mention about fielding candidates in Rae Bareli and Amethi -- constituencies of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi respectively.
"SP has always stood against Congress and fought against its policies..." he added.
On the occasion, IAS officer Tapendra Prasad, who recently took voluntary retirement, joined SP. Prasad said he had six years of service remaining but joined SP to serve the people.
Mulayam said the UP government had taken several people-friendly initiatives and was working in the interest of the common man.
"What has Gujarat done? Can you tell me? In UP, a number of schemes, including loan waiver of farmers worth Rs 1,650 crore, free irrigation for them and others schemes are launched...but work in UP is not getting due coverage," he said.
The SP supremo said in Patna (Bihar), he could accept that roads were constructed and the perception that extortion was going on was checked by the Nitish Kumar government, but nothing considerable was being done in Gujarat.
On being asked why he did not attend UPA dinner, Mulayam said he was not in alliance.
