Dadri/Lucknow: Political sparring over the Dadri lynching got shriller on Sunday with controversial BJP MLA Sangeet Som, accused of making inflammatory speeches during 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, alleging that the SP government was appeasing Muslims and innocent people were being framed.
On a day Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav met in Lucknow the family of 50-year-old Ikhlaq, who was lynched over beef eating rumours, assuring them of justice, Som visited Dadri where he attacked SP government alleging that it was shielding those who had “slaughtered cow”.
Accusing Akhilesh of shedding “crocodile tears” over the incident, BJP alleged that he was giving “communal” colour to it. After meeting victim Ikhlaq’s family, Akhilesh announced raising the financial assistance to the family to Rs 30 lakh from Rs 20 lakh along with Rs five lakh each to his three brothers.
Stirring the political cauldron, Som said, “Like they (SP) had taken the accused in Muzaffarnagar riots in a plane, they have taken those who have slaughtered cow in a plane.” The UP lawmaker’s remarks came even as BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the incident should not be given communal colour or politicised. “It was an unfortunate incident. But it is not proper to give communal colour to it,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Delhi.
Iqlakh was dragged out of his home by a 200-strong mob and beaten to death after a public announcement from the local temple that the family had slaughtered a calf and eaten its meat on Monday night in Bishada village. Meanwhile, police, which has arrested eight persons, detained a Home Guard for questioning after the local temple priest alleged that he forced him to make the announcement.
Police had yesterday arrested two persons — Vishal and Shivam. One of them was reported to be the son of a local BJP leader. However, BJP leader Harish Thakur denied that the father of the accused was a BJP office bearer and said he may be a BJP supporter. Som questioned why the state government had allowed AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi to visit the village and spread “communal frenzy”. “A person like Owaisi was allowed to come here from Hyderabad. Is the Samajwadi Party government colluding with him?… This government is trying to appease a particular community. They want to do politics of appeasement which we will not allow,” the MLA said. Questioning the arrests in the lynching case, he said, “We don’t want that those guilty of murder should not be tried but the government should stop framing the innocent. “Are terrorists living here? Police should make arrests only after completing the investigation,” the Uttar Pradesh MLA said.
However, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav dismissed criticism of the government saying that Samajwadi Party would “never do politics” on such incidnets.
“Those doing politics can level any allegation… but I want to assure that Samajwadis never do politics on such things. Since SP government came to power there are some forces trying to create one or the other atmosphere,” he alleged after meeting Ikhlaq’s mother Asgari, brother Mohammed Afzal and daughter Shaista. (PTI)
