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NCRB: While SP attacked BJP over crimes against Dalits, BJP said during SP’s regime UP was known for its extraordinary crime graph, but the state has now become Viksit and Samrudh
When it came to crimes against Dalits, Uttar Pradesh stood at the top with 15,130 cases, followed by Rajasthan (8,449) and Madhya Pradesh (8,232).
The National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) annual report for 2023, which showed declining crime rates, but alarmingly high absolute numbers in serious categories in Uttar Pradesh, has started a political war of words.
According to the NCRB report published this week, a total of 62,41,569 cases of crime were registered across the country in 2023 — a 7.2% jump compared to 2022. Among these, crimes against women rose to 4.48 lakh, the highest in a decade. Rajasthan topped the list in rapes with 5,078 incidents, while Uttar Pradesh led in murders with 3,206.
When it came to crimes against Dalits, Uttar Pradesh stood at the top with 15,130 cases, followed by Rajasthan (8,449) and Madhya Pradesh (8,232).
The NCRB numbers gave the opposition a fresh weapon to target the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling dispensation of presiding over an era of “Dalit oppression at its peak.”
Sharing a graphic on X, Yadav wrote: “Daliton pe apradh mein UP No. 1″ (UP number one in crimes against Dalits).
SP attacks Yogi-led BJP government
In a scathing post, the former chief minister said, “The BJP government’s work should not just be seen as biased, the pain and tears it has caused should also be noted. In UP, Dalit oppression is at its peak. There should also be a TV show on this statistic; a hoarding highlighting this truth should be put up, a detailed report should be broadcast and published.”
Yadav demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT), an inquiry commission, and even the inclusion of a chapter on Dalit atrocities in the school curriculum. Mocking the BJP’s event-oriented governance style, he added: “A 5,000-year-old event should also be organised to awaken consciousness, framing this historical oppression as ‘panch sahassrabdi’.”
The SP chief further alleged that the government was trying to conceal the reality behind propaganda. “The NCRB data has exposed the BJP’s claims of ensuring safety for all communities. The figures reflect a grim reality of law and order in the state.”
While talking to News18 Abhishek Mishra, former minister and SP’s prominent Brahmin face, said the system has totally collapsed. “I believe that this data is just a tenth of the real picture because cases don’t get registered most of the time. The zero tolerance policy against crime has collapsed,” he said.
एक आँकड़ा ये भी है। भाजपा सरकार के काम को सिर्फ़ पक्षपात के चश्मे से नहीं, पीड़ा भरी आँख से भी देखा जाए। उप्र में दलित दमन चरम पर है।– एक टीवी शो इस आँकड़े पर भी होना चाहिए।– एक होर्डिंग इस सच का भी लगना चाहिए।– एक विस्तृत रिपोर्ट इस पर भी समाचार के रूप में… pic.twitter.com/UUPMF5lkeF
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 2, 2025
What UP Police said
The NCRB report revealed notable shifts in crime trends. While overall figures for major crimes such as rape, murder and robbery showed a decline nationally, rape remained the most widely reported violent crime, followed by murder and then robbery. In Uttar Pradesh, the concentration of serious offences remained high. Apart from topping the list in murders, the state, along with Bihar, recorded the highest cases of kidnapping and abduction. Road accidents too were most frequent in UP.
Facing criticism, the Uttar Pradesh Police countered that the state had achieved better control over crime when measured against the national crime rate.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, police noted that despite being India’s most populous state, UP’s crime rate in 2023 stood at 181.3 per lakh population, significantly lower than the national average of 270.3.
Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna credited this to “strict implementation of zero-tolerance” under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. “The improvement is a direct result of continuous efforts and systematic reforms, including the use of data-based macro and micro strategies, data analytics, and the strategic deployment of Police Response Vehicles,” he said.
What BJP said
While countering SP, UP’s BJP Spokesperson Anand Dubey said that prior to 2017, during SP’s regime UP was known for its extraordinary crime graph. And now UP is seen as a Viksit and Samrudh state. “Despite 25 crore population, UP is number one in nailing down the criminals, especially those who committed crime against women,” said Dubey.
What experts say
On the issue political analyst Shashikant Pandey, head department of political science Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow said, “The NCRB data is not just a number game. In a state like Uttar Pradesh, where social hierarchies and power structures are deeply entrenched, law and order is inseparable from caste and gender relations. Opposition leaders are pressing the issue politically, but the government cannot ignore the need for structural reforms.”
With the Lok Sabha elections still fresh in public memory and the 2027 Assembly polls already looming in political calculations, Pandey said crime and safety are set to remain contentious battlegrounds in Uttar Pradesh. He further said that BJP will seek to highlight comparative improvements and its strong-arm governance image, while the SP and other opposition parties are likely to continue hammering the state’s standing in NCRB reports.
October 03, 2025, 19:16 IST
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