 "'Baahubalis of Indian Politics' reveals how Atiq Ahmed saved UPA govt in 2008, India's nuke deal with US")
synopsis
In a startling change of events, three attackers acting as journalists opened fire on Ahmed and his brother Ashraf while they were having a media interview on Saturday night in Prayagraj. They were shot and killed in front of the camera as they attempted to answer questions from the media after getting out of the police jeep while being encircled by police officers.
Six criminal-politicians, including Atiq Ahmad, who was shot dead on Saturday, were released from jail in 2008 after a book about "Baahubalis" claimed their votes were crucial to saving the UPA government and India's civil nuclear agreement with the US. The Opposition had brought a no-confidence motion against the Manmohan Singh dispensation and at stake was his United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and the nuclear deal.
Atiq Ahmad, a Lok Sabha member for Allahabad's (now Prayagraj) Phulpur seat and a member of the Samajwadi Party at the time, was one of these six lawmakers who combined had over 100 criminal charges against them.
The gangster-politician is noted in the book "Baahubalis of Indian Politics: From Bullet to Ballot," written by Rajesh Singh and distributed by Rupa Publications, as having the distinction of being one of the musclemen that prevented the UPA administration from imploding. The Left parties had withdrawn their outside support to the regime in mid-2008 over the government's decision to proceed with a civil nuclear deal.
"With 228 MPs in the Lok Sabha, the UPA lacked the simple majority of 44 seats necessary to end the crisis of confidence. However, Prime Minister Singh expressed certainty that he would live. It quickly became clear where that confidence originated from," wrote Singh.
He pointed out that the Samajwadi Party, Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), and Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) all offered support to the UPA, while other parties—including the "Baahubali netas"—also performed their part.
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According to the book, "forty-eight hours before the vote and with little fanfare, the government furloughed six of the nation's most prominent suspected criminals -- collectively facing over 100 cases of kidnapping, murder, extortion, arson, and more" -- so that they could fulfil their constitutional obligations as lawmakers.
The book read: "Atiq Ahmed, a Samajwadi Party politician from Uttar Pradesh with a noticeable handlebar moustache and a taste for safari outfits, was one of them. He faithfully cast his valuable vote, undoubtedly in favour of the struggling UPA."
The book claims that at that point, the don had made a name for himself in both politics and crime. He entered electoral politics successfully in 1989 and served as an MLA for Uttar Pradesh five times. On a Samajwadi Party ticket, he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2004; however, less than five years later, the party would dismiss him due to his criminal history.
Ahmad (60) claimed to be a politician, builder, contractor, property dealer, and farmer, but he also had a long history of significant criminal accusations, including kidnapping, extortion, and murder. In a startling change of events, three attackers acting as journalists opened fire on Ahmed and his brother Ashraf while they were having a media interview on Saturday night in Prayagraj.
The Ahmeds were being led under police protection to a hospital for a required health exam when they were handcuffed together. They were shot and killed in front of the camera as they attempted to answer questions from the media after getting out of the police jeep while being encircled by police officers.
Also read: MHA to prepare SOPs for journalists after Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf sensational killings
On Saturday, Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma briefed media about the tragic gunfight. He stated that the three attackers, who were quickly apprehended, had joined the gathering of journalists attempting to capture soundbites from Ahmad and Ashraf.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has formed a three-member judicial commission to probe the killing of Atiq and his brother, according to officials. Earlier on Saturday, Atiq's son Asad was buried in Prayagraj, a day after he was killed in an exchange of fire with the UP police's Special Task Force in Jhansi.
(With PTI inputs)
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