My protest will continue even if I have to die for it: Apna Dal (S) MLA Vinay Verma

Siddharthnagar (UP), Sep 18 (PTI) BJP ally Apna Dal (S) MLA Vinay Verma, who is sitting on a dharna against Siddharthnagar Superintendent of Police Prachi Singh, on Wednesday said his protest will continue till his demands are met.

His party has already distanced itself from the protest.

Verma, the MLA from Shohratgarh constituency, started the indefinite protest on September 10 against the alleged "biased" attitude of the senior police official towards him and has demanded her transfer.

While the police officer has so far not made any official comment on the issue, the MLA continues to hold the protest, camping with his supporters near the Mahatma Gandhi's statue in front of Nagar Palika Parishad here.

"My protest will continue till the demands are met, even if I have to die for it," Verma said.

Asked for comment on his party not backing the protest and directing the local office bearers to stay away from the "unauthorised" act, Verma told PTI: "My public comes first for me." The MLA had recently accused the station officer of Dhebarua police station of protecting some people in the investigation of the death of a driver due to fire in the tractor trolley after it overturned during illegal soil mining in Shohratgarh assembly constituency.

The MLA had also accused the Shohratgarh police station in-charge of misbehaving with him over making a legitimate plea and giving protection to the drug mafia in the town.

The MLA also alleged that the Superintendent of Police had instructed the police station in-charges of Dhebarua and Shohratgarh to discriminate against him and not listen to him.

Rajkumar Pal, the acting state president of Apna Dal (S), sent a letter to the party's Siddharthnagar district chief on September 10 stating the protest "is being held without the party's approval".

"The protest called by Shohratgarh MLA Vinay Verma is being held without the party's approval. Hence, the party does not approve of any party member participating in it," he said in the letter.

Pal said the party works on "discipline and principles" and this protest is not authorised by it.

"You are requested to follow the party's directions and maintain discipline. Please take this message to all party workers and make sure there is no indiscipline," he added. PTI COR KIS AS AS