Shocked over PM Modi’s silence on killing of Danish Siddiqui: Sanjay Singh

PTI, Jul 17, 2021, 7:58 PM IST

Credits: AFP

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh on Saturday expressed a “deep sense of shock” at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” on the killing of Pulitzer Prize winner photojournalist Danish Siddiqui.

Siddiqui was killed while covering clashes between Afghan troops and the Taliban in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar city. He was injured on Thursday night while accompanying Afghan soldiers and succumbed to injuries on Friday.

”I express deep sense of shock and strongly condemn this silence on the martyrdom of an Indian journalist who died while confronting the terrorism of the Taliban forces,” Singh said while talking to newspersons here.

”It is unfortunate that while the Afghan President and the world media have expressed grief and shock over the incident, our own prime minister seems to be maintaining a discreet silence. It appears that he does not want to annoy the Talibani forces who are spreading terror,” he added.

While paying homage to Siddiqui, Singh said we should salute this brave young journalist who laid down his life while attempting to tell the world the truth about the Taliban aggressors.

Referring to his recent meeting with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, he said, ”Speculative reports suggesting that we discussed a proposal for an alliance with the SP are without any substance.” He said if such a proposal comes up in the future it will be “definitely” shared with the media.

“The meeting was solely promoted by our wish to share our deep concern with all opposition parties over the organized violence which was unleashed by the Yogi (Adityanath)-led BJP government during the recent local bodies election in the state,” the AAP leader said.

He alleged that the “state-sponsored” violence during the panchayat polls has confirmed “our worst fears” about the “total breakdown” of law and order in Uttar Pradesh.

The BJP had come to power on the slogan of restoring law and order in the state but instead Uttar Pradesh is presently in the “grip of a total gunda raj ”, he said.

About the possibility of a grand alliance of opposition parties in the forthcoming assembly elections in UP, the AAP leader said, ”It is totally premature to talk of any such move.” He said the AAP will fight the UP elections on the plank of offering the state electorate the “Kejriwal model of governance” which will include free electricity, free education, free health services and a fair deal to the farmers.

He said his party’s ongoing drive to enroll 20,000 members in each assembly constituency in the state ”was progressing well and we hope to meet our target within the stipulated period”.