Given by the intensity and frequency of these clashes, if Akhilesh Yadav fails to understand the gravity of the situation in the state even now, he must quit.
It is no news that the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh government and its machinery has completely failed when it comes to administration.
In the ongoing communal clashes in Saharanpur city, three have died and 33 have been grievously injured,
The police has arrested 38 people for rioting and arson that began allegedly over a land dispute on Friday night. More than 3,000 armed men, including two ITBP companies, four companies of CRPF, three companies of RAF, three SSB companies and 10 PAC companies, stand guard to enforce the clampdown.
Uttar Pradesh is not new to riots in CM Yadav’s rule since he was sworn-in March 15, 2012.
It was the same administrative failure which led to a Muzaffarnagar mess. While Saharanpur is on boil, the situation in Moradabad is also not good. But, it seems, Yadav and his government is not ready to learn its lesson.
Here is a list of riots/clashes that happened under Akhilesh Yadav’s nose in the state:
June 01, 2012, Mathura: The first riot under the Akhilesh Yadav government took place on June 1, when two communities clashed over using water at a religious site in Kosi Kalan, about 45 km from Mathura. Four persons were killed and 16 others injured in the clashes that broke out, reportedly after one pedestrian used water meant for some religious purpose. Total 50 FIRs were lodged by the police and nearly 400 people were held under preventive detention. A former Uttar Pradesh minister and his MLC brother were among 156 people booked in connection with the clashes.
June 23, 2012, Pratapgarh: Around 46 houses of Muslims were torched at Asthan village following the gangrape and murder of a minor Dalit girl on June 20. The violence erupted when the body of the 11-year-old Dalit girl was being taken for cremation. People were angry over the police’s “late reaction” to the incident. Two FIRs were registered and 30 people were arrested.
July 23, 2012, Bareilly: Three persons were killed and 20 injured in Bareilly on July 23 in a clash following some altercation between Muslims observing Ramzan and Hindu ‘kanwarias’ taking out their ‘sawan’ (rainy season) processions. It spread to neighbouring Aonla after which curfew was imposed in both the places. Among the 20 injured was Superintendent of Police (city) Shiv Sagar Singh and seven other cops, besides 12 local residents belonging to both the communities. People indulged in stone-pelting, firing and arson. Later it spread to some other areas of the city and some persons set fire to a vegetable market in Sahmatganj and some shops in Jogi Nawada area. Seventy five people were arrested in connection with the incident.
August 11, 2012, Bareilly: Riots took place in Bareilly again on August 11 at Shyamganj crossing and Jagatpur locality. This time, the trigger was pelting of stones on a religious procession. This led to heavy brick-batting and firing in which three got injured and one suffered bullet injury. The administration imposed curfew in four police station areas. A total of 38 FIRs were filed and 293 people were arrested.
August 18, 2012, Lucknow and Allahabad: A mob smashed vehicles, stoned shops, beat up media persons and vandalised Buddha Park in Lucknow, allegedly in protest against “atrocities on Muslims” in Myanmar and Assam. In Lucknow, the police lodged five FIRs, while in Allahabad, two FIRs were lodged and 15 people were arrested.
September 15, 2012, Ghaziabad: Six persons were killed and 25 injured, including two critically, in violence and arson during a protest against alleged desecration of a ‘holy book’ in Dasna, Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh. The protest was triggered after torn pages from a ‘holy book’ were found at Adhyatmik Nagar station platform in Dasna. During the rioting, several shops and at least 50 vehicles were destroyed. Two people died of gunshot wounds, and four after injuries caused by blunt objects during stone pelting.
October 24, 2012, Faizabad: Two persons were killed in clashes in Faizabad district during idol immersion on the occasion of Vijay Dashmi on October 24. Over two dozen shops were torched by rioters in Chowk, Bhadarsa and Bikapur. The violence followed a dispute between Hindus and Muslims over the route to be taken for a procession for immersion of idols of Durga on Vijayadashami.
January 16, 2013, Lucknow: One person was shot dead and 10 people were critically injured in a sectarian clash which took place on January 16 after members of one sect fired at a gathering observing Muharram mourning in Wazirganj police station area of the old city in Lucknow. The second victim who was passing by on a scooter and had suffered three bullet injuries, succumbed to his injuries in hospital later.
February 04, 2013, Muzaffarnagar: At least 25 people, including some policemen, were injured when a clash broke out on February 04 between two groups in Shamli following which security was tightened in the area. A case was registered against 300 people in connection with violence.
April 06, 2013, Meerut: Twelve people were injured after communal clashes broke out in the town on April 06 over an inflamatory post on social networking site Facebook. Angry members of a community pelted stones on a bus carrying a marriage party.
July 27, 2013, Meerut: Two people, including a woman, were killed and over a dozen injured after communal riots broke out in Nanglamal village in Meerut. The incident took place when members of two communities had a verbal tiff over blaring loudspeakers at a temple and a nearby mosque. Things got out of hand when members of one community damaged the loudspeaker of the temple. This led to the clash, during which bullets were fired, forcing the police to lathi-charge both the groups.
August 27, 2013, Muzaffarnagar: In yet another incident of communal violence, three persons were killed over a minor dispute that triggered tension in the area. The incident took place in the Jansath area of Muzaffarnagar, when a youth was caught harassing a girl. Her brother and his friend bashed up the alleged molestor and shot him dead, but were themselves lynched by a mob.
September 03, 2013, Muzaffarnagar: One person was shot dead and 10 others injured in a clash between two communities over dumping of garbage in Shamli.
September 07, 2013, Muzaffarnagar: At least nine persons, including a TV channel journalist, were killed and 34 injured on September 07 as fresh violence between members of two communities erupted in Muzaffarnagar, after which indefinite curfew was imposed and the army deployed to help maintain law and order. Three days after the violence, curfew remained in force in riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar where the death toll climbed to 31.
September 29, 2013, Meerut: At least 20 people, including security personnel, were injured and a number of government vehicles damaged in a clash between villagers and police over holding a Mahapanchayat in Khera village in Meerut defying ban orders.
October 30, 2013, Muzaffarnagar: Three persons were killed in fresh outbreak of communal violence in Budhana area of Muzaffarnagar district, which was hit by riots in September that had left over 60 dead. The three victims were beaten to death while another was injured in clashes between members of two communities in Muhammadpurraisingh village. The incident appeared to be the fallout of the communal tension in the region.
May 10, 2014, Meerut: About 50 people, including a top police officer and two media persons, were injured in a communal clash in Meerut on May 10. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. when a group of people was installing a water facilitation centre near a mosque. Members of the Jain community opposed the installation, saying it was near their temple too and the queue of people would disturb the peace of the premises. But people from the other community did not agree and installed the water centre there, following which a scuffle took place between the two rival groups. The scuffle blew out of proportion and people started shouting slogans against the other community. Some vehicles and kiosks were set afire, and members from each side started pelting bricks and stones. There were also reports of firing.
July 4, 2014, Moradabad: In total 62 people were arrested by July 5 in connection with the communal violence that stunned Moradabad on July 4. Clashes broke out in the Kanth district over the installation of loudspeakers at a religious place.
There are many other incidents of riots and communal clashes which missed headlines and went unreported.
Given by the intensity and frequency of these clashes, if Akhilesh Yadav fails to understand the gravity of the situation in the state even now, he must quit.
(with Inputs from PTI and Indian Express)
