Theft, dacoity and murder form the backbone of Uttar Pradesh’s economy. Unfortunately, from time to time certain individuals come along and try to challenge this status-quo. Earlier this year, Durga Shakti Nagpal, provided the UP establishment with a stiff challenge. This 28 year old had the audacity to take on the state’s sand mafia. She tried, but was eventually no match for the guile and deviousness of the state government.

The illegal sand-mining business in Gautam-Budh Nagar (NOIDA), UP is worth Rs. 100 crore per month. Hundreds of middle-men and locally nurtured mafia members are dependent upon this illegal sand mining for their livelihood. The basic operation involves illegally mining sand from banks of the Yamuna and Hindon rivers. This land belongs to the irrigation department and therefore is not private property. With an enormous real estate market growing in the Noida and Greater Noida, the mafia uses business practices that include a combination of threats and profit sharing with the locals who get sucked in. Party-poopers say that the illegal mining operation leads to the state suffering huge revenue losses in addition to severe damage to the ecology of the region by affecting the natural flow of the Yamuna and Hindon rivers.

After the registering of several complaints of dredging from the rivers, the Gautam-Budh Nagar district administration was asked to curtail the illegal activities by the Chief Minister’s office. Of course, this was supposed to be an order that needed to be overlooked. Unfortunately, the over eager Nagpal, followed the order in letter and spirit. Disregarding political affiliations, she cracked down on the sand mafia. This included seizing trucks, slapping fines and lodging FIRs against errant persons. A local Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, Narendra Bhatti was among the aggrieved parties, his business hit by the crackdown. The Noida police registered 66 FIRs, arrested 104 people and seized 81 vehicles (include cars, dumpers, trucks as well as JCB machines) over a six month period.

Once this started, it was natural for the UP government to step-in and put a stop to these atrocities. The government used a three-pronged strategy to defeat Nagpal and her supporters. This strategy can serve as a template for any state across the country which is struggling to reign in errant honest bureaucrats.

Approach 1: Murder the Honest

Uttar Pradesh’s competency at knocking-off people who are attempting to do their jobs honestly, is unmatched across the world. Normally this would seem as an extreme measure, but not in UP. The expertise developed by the state has ensured that economies of scale have been achieved for this technique. Over the past few decades, Behenji Mayawati and Mulayam have been political foes but have beautifully complemented each other in creating an environment conducive for this method to thrive.

Nagpal was issued numerous death threats. She was also attacked by the sand mafia at Kasna police station. She was saved as her two security guards fired several rounds to chase away the armed goons.

Nagpal’s aide, Ashish Kumar, a district mining officer has to date survived three attempts on his life. During one of these attempts, a mob of more than 10 men armed with country-made pistols attacked his car. Ashish returned fire from his licenced private revolver.

Regrettably for the mafia, these tactics failed. Neither Nagpal nor Kumar were successfully dealt with through this method.

Approach 2: Transfer the Honest

It’s probably the most overused method of dealing with wayward honest public-servants, but one that is time-tested and reliable. Systematic methods have been developed by Uttar Pradesh to ensure that bureaucrats who show even a shred of character, are dealt with obscure transfers that inhibit their professional growth.

It was decided that Nagpal would be weakened by targeting key personnel around her. To get started, Ashish Kumar, was transferred to UP’s Bulandshahr a couple of days before the state government cracked down on Nagpal. Later on, Ravikant Singh, the Gautam-Budh Nagar District Magistrate who had been supportive of Nagpal, was removed from his post and put on a ‘wait-list’. And to really drive the point home, Nagpal’s husband, Abhishek Singh was transferred from the post of Executive Officer of Dadri Municipality in Ghaziabad district to Jhansi in the backward Bundelkhand. This area is considered relatively insignificant as compared to the postings in Ghaziabad district, and in Noida and Greater Noida (both in Gautam-Buddh Nagar district).

This approach helped the state government strategically weaken key supporters of Nagpal. But the killer blow to Nagpal came from the next approach.

Approach 3: Fabricate cases against the Honest

UP has mastered the technique of forming a nexus between politicians and criminals. In the words of Lambu Aata from the hit movie Gunda – गुंडागिरी और नेतागिरी दोनों एक ही बाप की दो हरामी औलाद है! (Crime and politics both are bastards from the same father).

The disgruntled SP heavyweight, Narendra Bhatti came up with a master-plan to put a stop to Nagpal for once and for all. In July, Nagpal was made aware of the construction of an illegal wall for a mosque in Kadalpur village, Greater Noida. Being a keener, and an unusually sincere public servant, Nagpal took it upon herself to have the wall demolished. Nagpal claims that this action was well within the rules of service and as per the directions of the Supreme Court. But do the UP administrative bigwigs care for the Supreme Court? Of course not! Nagpal was immediately suspended based on the whims of Narendra Bhatti who is an MP from Gautam-Budh Nagar. In fact Bhatti was so efficient, that he claimed later on that it took him all but 41 minutes to get Nagpal suspended! Incidentally, the same Bhatti has a criminal case pending against him in court including a charge for ‘attempted murder’.

UP’s crown prince, Akhilesh Yadav also chimed in with golden words. He said that, “If an official makes a mistake then the government punishes the official. This is the way government works.” Nagpal’s mistake was doing her job honestly. What a monster!

So this is how UP’s well-oiled criminal-politico machinery systematically removed one of the biggest thorns in its flesh. This story should serve as a reminder to any public-servant across the land who aspires to be honest and sincere. Think again. Else prepare for a life of gloom and misery.

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