Politics over Muzaffarnagar communal riots took a new turn on Wednesday as the Samajwadi Party Government faced fierce criticism in the Assembly from all quarters over its inaction even as court issued non-bailable warrants (NBW) against 16 people, including 8 senior politicians of BSP, BJP and Congress, for allegedly inciting violence in the district and adjoining areas.
According to reports from Muzaffarnagar, a local court issued NBW against BSP MP Qadir Rana, BSP MlAs Jameel Ahmed and Noor Salim Rana, former Congress MP Saedduzzaman and BJP MlAs Sangeet Singh Som, Kunwar Bharatendu and Bharatiya Kisan Union leaders Rakesh Tikait and Naresh Tikait.
Two courts issued the arrest warrants separately against eight people each on two incidents. While Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Kiran Pal issued NBW against eight people, including BSP MP Qadir Rana, in the case lodged against them at Kotwali police station for a meeting held at Khalapar on August 30.
Similarly, Additional District Judge Sunder lal issued 8 warrants against the BJP MlAs and others for their alleged inflammatory speech.Altogether 10 police teams have been rushed to arrest those against whom warrants have been issued, a senior official said. Senior superintendent of police Praveen Kumar said action would be taken against the culprits very soon.
“We have arrested three to four people among the 16 and have collected some evidences. Some more evidence is to be collected and very soon others will be arrested,” he told the mediapersons. The district police was investigating the FIRs lodged against BJP legislature party leader Hukum Singh, BJP MlA Suresh Rana and Congress leader Harendra Mallick.
The politicians and the community leaders are wanted for violating prohibitory orders and provoking communal tension by inflammatory speeches in different mahapanchayats in the district.
Meanwhile, the BJP gheraoed the gates of Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha preventing police to arrest four legislators who were booked in the Muzaffarnagar riots saying they will not allow arrest of innocent people. The BJP, along with BSP and Congress, also slammed the State Government over the riots during a special debate in the Assembly.
“The Samajwadi Party Government was acting in a partisan manner. They have lodged FIRs against BJP legislators and spared its vice-president of Muzaffarnagar unit who led panchayat on August 30. We will not allow this to happen,” BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said as workers jostled with each other preventing police to arrest the party lawmakers.
He said a sting operation carried out by a TV channel has proved beyond doubt involvement of a senior minister in the Akhilesh Government.As soon as the BJP legislators reached the main gate of the Assembly, party workers who were waiting for them started shouting slogans. Senior leader Uma Bharati who accompanied these legislators said the State Government is acting in a partisan manner.
Earlier, BJP MlA Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana said they were being framed by the Samajwadi Party Government to’’ cover up its lapses.’’ ‘’We are not absconding or evading arrest. We are here in the Assembly and ready to face any consequence as we are honest,’’ they told the media in the central hall of the Assembly here on Wednesday
Demanding the arrest of State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Azam Khan for his role in triggering the violence following a sting operation by a TV channel, Sangeet claimed his innocence in the incident.
“I only shared the Facebook photograph. Neither I uploaded it nor did I give any fiery speech,” he said. He said the BJP was not the organisers of the Mahapanchayat and the MlAs participated in the capacity of public representatives.Suresh Rana also questioned why Azam Khan, who is the Minister in-charge of Muzaffarnagar, did not visit the violence hit areas till now.