Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh BJP on Sunday claimed the Vishnu Sahay Commission did not take account of its leaders while probing the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots and submitted the report to Governor Ram Naik in “haste”.
“The Commission did not talk to BJP men during its probe and the report was submitted in a haste,” BJP UP president Laxmikant Bajpai said in a release issued here.
Although content of the report has not been made public so far, there are reports that the Commission has indicted some local BJP and SP leaders.
According to the UP government, 62 people died and tens of thousands were displaced in the riots in 2013.
He also claimed that the Samajwadi Party government had released a Muzaffarnagar riots accused within an hour of his arrest.
The UP government had held talks with Maulana Nazir and four others, who were accused in the riots, he claimed.
“Nazir was brought to Lucknow with four other maulanas on chartered plane and then they were taken away to New Delhi. The government should disclose its talks with them,” Bajpai said. “The accused maulana was arrested at 8 PM and released within an hour,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party said though the report has not been made public yet, but the BJP has started showing its colours.
“Their behaviour betrays their guilty conscience as their attitude of inciting riots has been exposed. BJP is involved in vitiating communal atmosphere and dividing the society,” SP spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury said.
BJP was trying to spread venom of communalism in the society for political gains, he said adding that Union Minister Sanjiv Baliyan’s statement holding Azam Khan responsible for riots is condemnable.
“Giving such a statement without going through report is unconstitutional and irresponsible,” he added.
—PTI