Anti-Romeo squads: Don't criticise UP govt from day one, says guv Ram Naik

Defending the Yogi Adityanath government over the formation of the anti-Romeo suqads, Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik said on Friday that "stirring controversies" from day one. 

"Stirring controversies over a new government's moves is not proper. We should be giving some time to the new government. It has come to power with a huge mandate and must be allowed to fulfil the promises made during elections, be it those relating to law and order or corruption or education", Naik told reporters. 

He was replying to questions about complaints of harassment against policemen constituting the anti-Romeo squads set up by the newly elected Aditya Nath Yogi government. In its manifesto for the UP assembly polls, the BJP had promised setting up of "anti Romeo squads" to tackle the problem.

Read | Yogi Adityanath Govt's first 3 days: Anti-Romeo squads, closing slaughter houses, ban on pan masala | Key highlights 

The Adityanath government is yet to issue any order but the UP police has already set up such squads with cops in plain clothes keeping a vigil at public places and hauling up those suspected of misbehaving with women. 

There have, however, been some complaints of young couples being harassed by cops apart from concerns that the move could spawn moral policing. Governor Naik was here to take part in a programme organised at UP Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPRTOU) on the outskirts of the city, where he spoke in seminar on the philosophy of socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia. 

Naik described Lohia as an "upholder of Indian culture", who "loved his mother tongue" and was "deeply influenced by the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi and Tulsidas". Former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash Kashyap, who was also present, called Lohia a "brilliant parliamentarian known for his oratory" and claimed that the socialist leader saw the Ramcharitmanas as "a treatise on politics and administration".

Read | Anti-Romeo squads arrest six youths for eve-teasing in Shamli