Lucknow, 14 December. Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader and former MP Dhananjay Singh termed Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav’s ‘codeine bhaiya’ taunt regarding the illegal sale of codeine cough syrup as ridiculous and said that the former Chief Minister should raise such issues seriously and after proper investigation.
The crackdown on smuggling and sale of banned codeine-based cough syrup in Uttar Pradesh and the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) investigation into a large inter-state gang involved in the illegal production and distribution of such syrup has increased political activity in the state. Opposition parties are trying to link the accused in this case with officials of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies.
Some pictures and videos of an accused in the Codeine cough syrup case with Dhananjay Singh had gone viral. SP chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had recently called Singh the ‘Codeen Bhaiya’ of Jaunpur without taking his name. Speaking to a news agency, Dhananjay Singh said, “Akhilesh Yadav has served as the Chief Minister and will be in touch with senior officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS). When such a person raises an issue, he should first do a thorough investigation. It is not appropriate to turn a serious issue into satire or joke by using words like ‘Codein Bhaiya’.”
Singh said that the term is being used by a section of the media, but the matter should not be taken lightly. “The episode involving codeine-based cough syrup is a serious matter. It is related to money laundering or over-hoarding. It is an inter-state case, and we have sought investigation by central agencies like CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and Enforcement Directorate. The ED investigation has reportedly already started and the truth will come out,” he said.
The former MP clarified that the syrup case in Uttar Pradesh has no connection with the death of children due to ‘Coldrif’ cough syrup in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. On the arrest of some persons allegedly linked to him in the Codeine cough syrup case, Dhananjay Singh said that social and political life brings people in contact with many persons, but it is not possible to take responsibility for the actions of every person.
He said, “Often even parents are not aware of what their children are doing. Some of the arrested people know me since childhood and have family relations with them, but I cannot be responsible for their actions.” Responding to the personal attacks made by Akhilesh Yadav, Singh said that as the national president of a party, Yadav should raise issues responsibly.
“If something wrong has happened, action must be taken. I fully support action against anyone found guilty,” he said. Clarifying his stand on the codeine syrup case, Singh reiterated that he is not involved in any drug trade. He said, “Those who know me understand this very well. Some of the arrested people may have known me since childhood, but that does not mean that I was aware of their activities.”
The former MP praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said that he is a ‘saint’ and an honest person. He said that Samajwadi Party had no political issue against Yogi Adityanath, hence he was targeted as a ‘Thakur’ leader. Asked about Samajwadi Party’s prospects in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Singh said that if the SP failed to form an alliance with the Congress, it would face a difficult situation.
He said, “Without alliance with Congress, SP may be reduced to less than 50 seats in the assembly.” Singh, a former JD(U) national general secretary, said he would remain with his party. On the question of JD(U)’s limited organizational presence in Uttar Pradesh, he said, “There is still time for the 2027 elections.
Political equations may change. JD(U) is part of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) and the situation will become more clear by 2027. Nothing is impossible in politics.” When asked about his old rival and Samajwadi Party MLA Abhay Singh, who supports the BJP, Dhananjay Singh said he did not want to take the names of ‘ordinary people’.
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