If I speak up, I face treason charge: Another BJP MLA questions UP govt's handling of pandemic

The BJP’s Sitapur MLA has become the latest to join the list of ruling party lawmakers in Uttar Pradesh who have expressed resentment over COVID-19 management in the state, saying he feared a sedition charge for speaking up.

“What standing do MLAs have? If we speak too much, treason and sedition charges will be slapped on us as well,” Rakesh Rathore told reporters last week, according to a video clip which surfaced Monday.

The MLA was replying to a question about ICU facilities in Sitapur.

Pressed further, he said, "Do you think any MLA can put forward his point of view?" “Everything is going fine. I will only say that things couldn’t be better,” he said in a sarcastic vein, while replying to another question.

“I am not the government. But I can definitely say that whatever the government is telling you, it should be considered as correct," he said.

Asked why the district administration is lacking in efforts to control the crisis, the MLA said the government and administration are two sides of the same coin.