Tension in Moradabad over BJP, Congress protests

The situation in Moradabad district continues to be tense on Saturday as state BJP unit members led by MLA Sangeet Som have planned a protest in the area against SSP Dharamvir, who held the party responsible for stoking communal tension in Kanth.

Zee Media Bureau/Biplob Ghosal

  • BJP MPs Satyapal Saini, Yashwant Singh, Sarvesh Kumar, Rajendra Agarwal and Nepal Singh were reportedly detained by police in Hapur.
  • ``The way police is hunting for BJP MLAs in western UP, it`s like as if we are some criminals,” says BJP leader Suresh Rana.
  • "We are not fighting for the loudspeaker issue because that has already gone to the high court. We are fighting for the self respect of our party MLAs, the way they were treated. We haven`t come to do politics. We want an FIR to be lodged against SSP Dharamvir Yadav, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anil Kumar, Circle Officer (CO) Rahul and their co-officials and we will continue to protest till then," says Bajpai.
  • BJP workers including Laxmikant Bajpai sit outside Moradabad District Magistrate`s residence to fight for the self respect of BJP MLAs detained during the recent Kanth violence.
  • Uttar Pradesh police stops Congress leaders going to Moradabad at UP gate. Among those detained are Madhusudan Mistry, Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Nagma. The situation has led to huge traffic jam on NH-24, which connects Delhi with UP.
  • Senior Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry blames BJP for trying to communalise the situation. Justifying Congress` `peaceful` march, Mistry asserts that his party is going to Moradabad to normalise the situation unlike the BJP.
  • Reacting to the protest march announced by the BJP, Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary said that people who will take law in their hands will be dealt with strongly.

    The situation in Moradabad district continues to be tense on Saturday as state Bharatiya Janata Party unit members led by MLA Sangeet Som have planned to go to Moradabad to protest against the behaviour of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dharamvir, for holding BJP responsible for inflaming communal tension in Kanth.

    Speaking to the media, Sangeet Som said that he along with BJP supporters will go to Moradabad to protest against the SSP who has been acting like a spokesperson of SP government led by UP CM Akhilesh Yadav.

    Heavy security has been put in place to stop the BJP members from entering the area. Paramilitary forces have been deployed near Kanth police station to thwart the plans of the party.
    Her detention is part of UP government`s efforts to prevent any law and order situation in view of the VHP yatra, BJP`s protest and Congress` ‘peace march’ in Kanth area of Moradabad.

    On the issue of payment of cane dues, Bajpai said that the party would "lock" offices of deputy commissioners on July 28.

    At the epicentre of the trouble in Moradabad is a temple in Muslim dominated Akbarpur village belonging to the Jatav community. Trouble started last month after a section of villagers protested against installation of a loudspeaker in the temple.

    The protesters eventually ensured that the loudspeaker was taken down by the district administration.

    The Jatavs protested the move and and alleged discrimination. They also claimed that the temple had a loudspeaker for the last 15 years, they only got a new one installed as replacement in June.

    The VHP has demanded re-installation of loudspeakers and wants to perform puja at the temple.

    District Magistrate Deepak Agarwal has imposed Section 144 in Kanth area of Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh till August 4.

    Meanwhile, BJP state president Laxmi Kant Bajpai has justified the protest march saying that the party has all the constitutional right to complain against the district administration.

    The Congress has also planned to hold a peaceful march with 25 people. One of the party leader blame the BJP of trying to polarise the state and said that it is the preoperative of the Center and state government to maintain law and order situation.

    Trouble had erupted in Kanth area of Moradabad on July 4 over the installation of a loudspeaker at a temple leading to violent clashes in which the district magistrate had also suffered grievous injuries in his eye.

    BJP leader Sadhvi Prachi, who was on her way to Moradabad to take part in Vishwa Hindutva Parishad`s proposed ‘Jalabhishek march’, was detained in Bijnor on Friday.

    Her detention is part of UP government`s efforts to prevent any law and order situation in view of the VHP yatra, BJP`s protest and Congress` ‘peace march’ in Kanth area of Moradabad.

    On issue of payment of cane dues, Bajpai said that the party would "lock" offices of deputy commissioners on July 28.

    At the epicentre of the trouble in Moradabad is a temple in Muslim dominated Akbarpur village belonging to the Jatav community. Trouble started last month after a section of villagers protested against installation of a loudspeaker in the temple.

    The protesters eventually ensured that the loudspeaker was taken down by the district administration.

    The Jatavs protested the move and and alleged discrimination. They also claimed that the temple had a loudspeaker for the last 15 years, they only got a new one installed as replacement in June.

    The VHP has demanded re-installation of loudspeakers and wants to hold to perform puja at the temple.

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