In a volte-face, BJP MP Hukum Singh on Tuesday said the “migration” of Hindus from Kairana in western Uttar Pradesh was “not communal” in nature but had more to do with the law and order situation, even as he claimed the number of families that had to flee could go up to 400-500.
The BJP also set up a committee which will go to Kairana and study the situation.
“It is not about communal incidents... It is not about Hindus or Muslims,” the Kairana MP told reporters here, adding it had more to do with the poor law and order situation.
“The list (of those who had to flee) will go up further, I believe. It can go up to 400-500. There is not one accused (who forced people to migrate), they are here in dozens,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has sought report on the issue from the UP Government.
He had earlier said that from the names of the accused, “one can grasp who are these people”, hinting at the involvement of members of the Muslim community.
The MP had earlier released a list of 346 families that had been forced to flee the town, which has a 85 per cent Muslim population.
Kairana is in Shamli district which witnessed communal riots in 2013.
On Tuesday, Singh released another list of 63 Hindu families and claimed that they had to flee Kandhla town in Shamli district. “These Hindu families have left under duress,” he claimed.
When told that some Muslim families too have left the area, he said, “Others have gone for their (own) purposes.”
Shamli District Magistrate Sujeet Kumar, however, ruled out any communal and law and order issues behind some people leaving the area.
“Till now we have investigated the list of 119 families. Around 10-15 families, mentioned in the list, still live in Kairana and around 68 families migrated from the area 10-15 years ago. They moved out because of economic reasons. Till now, we have not found any case where there has been a law and order problem”.
The DM further said, “There is no communal activity. Kairana town has always been peaceful... During the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, the area remained peaceful, and even during Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013, people here sent a strong message of brotherhood.”
Top BJP leaders, who were in Allahabad for the two-day National Executive meeting recently, raked up the issue of alleged migration of Hindus from Kairana to attack the SP Government in the State ahead of the Assembly elections in the State early next year.
BJP president Amit Shah, in his address to the National Executive on Sunday, had said, “The migration happening in Kairana due to violence is a matter of serious concern. There is an atmosphere of violence. The lack of development and the lack of governance in the largest State of India, that is Uttar Pradesh, is becoming a matter of serious concern.”
UP CM Akhilesh Yadav accused BJP leaders of being “dishonest” and “lying” on the issue and said he would like to see “better work” from the party.
“BJP is alleging that the Samajwadi Party Government forced the people to flee from Kairana... BJP can be dishonest to this extent,” Yadav had told reporters on Monday.
“We have received reports from media that the BJP is sending a fact-finding committee here, but we have not received any information in writing till now. A team can come and do their investigation. We have no problem with that,” the District Magistrate added.
Meanwhile, the Centre has sought a detailed report from the Uttar Pradesh Government on the alleged migration of Hindus from Kairana village in the State.
Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had on Monday said it was unfortunate if people were being forced to leave their homes in their own country.
“If people have to leave their homes in their own country, then the State Government should take the responsibility. If the State government seeks any help, we will definitely give them,” he had said.
The CPI on its part targeted the BJP over its claims of migration of Hindus from Kairana in Uttar Pradesh, saying it’s a tactic to “communally polarise” voters ahead of the Assembly polls in the State next year as the party is “not confident of the Prime Minister’s popularity helping it win there.”
“They are raking up the (exodus) issue keeping an eye on the UP Assembly polls. They are trying to divide people on communal lines. This shows how desperate BJP is. It is not confident of winning the election, it is not confident of Modi’s popularity helping it win,” CPI national secretary D Raja said.
Raja also sought to pick holes in BJP’s development talk, saying the Central Government has failed to create jobs and the economy is in a bad shape. “People cannot be cheated all the time by this development talk. So, such tactics will not work in UP,” he said.