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In an escalation of political tensions over the alleged migration of Hindus from Kairana, BJP MLA Sangeet Som on Friday gave a 15-day ultimatum to the Uttar Pradesh government to bring them back, in an apparent bid to keep the issue alive ahead of elections in the State.
As Som, who is an accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case, and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Atul Pradhan took out separate rallies, prohibitory orders were enforced across Shamli district, and the borders of Kairana sealed and paramilitary forces deployed. Both rallies were stopped by authorities.
‘Only 3 families remain’
Som warned the SP government that if it did not bring back no one will be able to stop BJP workers from going to Kairana. The warning came even as Shamli district administration is stated to have found that only three families left Kairana — due to fear of criminals — from the list of 346 families said to have “fled” due to persecution.
Hitting back at Som, SP spokesman and senior cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav trashed charges of “exodus” and accused the saffron party of vitiating the communal atmosphere in UP for political gains with 2017 Assembly polls in mind. “There is no exodus in Kairana or anywhere in the State. We have intelligence and other reports in this regard. BJP leaders including Hukum Singh and others are inciting communal passions for political gains as Assembly elections are near,” Shivpal Yadav said.
Yadav proposed that a team of five “apolitical persons” visit Kairana to probe the reality. “We suggest Pramod Krishnam, Swami Kalyan, Naraina Giri, Swami Chinmayanand and Swamy Chakrapani to go and see the reality and give report,” he told reporters in Lucknow.
Curfew in place
Som had started his march to Kairana from his house in Sardhana, about 60 km away, in adjoining Meerut district, with thousands of followers, but was stopped at the border of the town keeping in mind the situation, Meerut District Collector Pankaj Yadav said.
“As a precautionary measure, police and PAC have been stationed in heavy numbers. Section 144 is in force. No one will be allowed to break the law in this situation.”
Shamli District Magistrate Sujit Kumar told PTI that prohibitory orders have been enforced across Shamli district, including Kairana town, and any march or yatra with political leaders would not be allowed without permission.
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