Saharanpur smoldering in fire of casteism lit by BJP: Cong

New Delhi [India], May 25 : Following the worrisome Saharanpur clashes, the Congress Party on Thursday said the city was smoldering in the fire of casteism lit by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The grand old party accused the BJP of inciting communal tension in Saharanpur. "The UP Government did not, as it should have done, take people into confidence and control them. In fact, it looks as if the instigation was made by the BJP only. The fire was lit by the BJP and Saharanpur is smoldering in that fire. I am afraid that the fire of casteism might burn the other places of Uttar Pradesh. The administration and government are solely responsible for the situation in Saharanpur," Congress leader Pramod Tiwari told ANI.

Resonating similar sentiments, another Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad said the Yogi Government has turned out to be complete failure.

"The Yogi Government has turned out to be a complete failure in past two months, keeping in mind various such incidents taking place in the state.

The Chief Minister should try everything to control the situation," Ahmad told ANI. Yesterday, in the wake of clashes between two communities in Saharanpur, District Magistrate Nagendra Parsad Singh was sacked over his inability to control the fresh bout of violence in the area.

Clashes occurred on Tuesday after Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati's visit to Saharanpur, where one person was killed and several others were injured.

The state government also announced to give compensation of Rs. 15 lakhs to relatives of the person who was killed during this incident. On May 5, one person was killed and 16 people, including a head constable, were injured in clashes between Dalits and Rajputs in Shabbirpur and Simlana villages.

Reports said that the police stopped the Maharana Pratap procession after some Dalits informed the police.

This angered Rajputs, who allegedly resorted to violence..

Source: ANI