Yogi govt mulls withdrawal of Muzaffarnagar riot cases against Jats

In an apparent bid to keep the powerful 'Jat' community in good humor ahead of Lok Sabha elections, the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is mulling to withdraw around 400 cases registered against 'jats' in connection with 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal violence.

According to the sources here, the government is likely to withdraw cases after seeking legal opinion.

The decision follows the demand by the leaders of powerful 'khaps' (community panchayats) for withdrawal of what they term ''fake'' cases against youths of the community.

Former union minister Sanjiv Baliyan had also met chief minister Yogi Adityanath here on Monday with several 'Jat' leaders to press the demand.

Sources said that Adityanath had assured the 'Jat' leaders that the government would seek legal opinion on the matter and take appropriate action.

The 'Khap' leaders had recently held a meeting in Muzaffarnagar's adjoining Shamli district and had warned that they would launch an agitation if the government withdrew cases against the BJP leaders and failed to withdraw riot cases against 'Jats'.

The state government had recently written to the district magistrate of Muzaffarnagar seeking information about the possibility of withdrawal of the 13 cases pertaining to the 2013 communal riots against senior BJP leaders, including Baliyan and UP minister Suresh Rana.

The cases are currently pending in the district court in Muzaffarnagar.

BJP leaders here said that its prospects in the next year's Lok Sabha elections could take a hit if the 'Jats', who had supported the saffron party in the 2014 general elections, opposed the party.

At least 60 people were killed and thousands of others were displaced in communal clashes between Jats and Muslims in Muzaffarnagar in 2013.