'Whose Side was Akhilesh on During Riots?' BJP Posts Photo of 2013 After CM Yogi's Interview to News18

Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh on Saturday posted a video clipping of Akhilesh Yadav wearing a skull cap, and claimed it ‘clearly showed’ with whom the former UP CM had ‘sided with’ during the Muzaffarnagar riots. His statement came a day after chief minister Yogi Adityanath told News18 that the residents will not forgive the Samajwadi Party for the “exodus” in Kairana.

Kairana remains a sensitive town since 2017 when BJP leaders, including then MP Hukum Singh, had alleged the “exodus” of Hindu families following alleged threats and harassment.

The CM said criminal elements in Kairana had been in hiding for 4.5 years but had started threatening traders again “after some parties promised and gave them election tickets”.

“Don’t the people of Kairana and Muzaffarnagar deserve development and security? Don’t the women deserve safety? It is the duty of every government do so. This is why I had said that March 10 ko sabki garmi utar jayegi (They will be set straight on March 10),” Adityanath said on the eve of his Saturday visit to Muzaffarnagar, adding that the Samajwadi Party only believes in riots.

More than 60 people were killed and scores others injured in Muzaffarnagar in 2013 during riots between Muslims and Jats.

Earlier, speaking to News18, Swatantra Dev Singh had said, “Today people are living in peace and this peace is for everyone, be it Hindu or Muslim, or in fact people from any political party.”

He said the schemes of the government are reaching everyone, without any prejudice. The BJP leader added that he had recently gone to Muzaffarnagar to a colony where 100 pucca houses were made for the Muslims and an equal number of houses were allotted to Hindus.

“Sabka saath, sabka vikas” (With everyone, for everyone’s progress) is the larger message being sent out to various communities by the ruling party, citing examples of how Muslims too got the benefits of central government schemes and that better law enforcement isn’t just for one community.

In the interview with News18, CM Yogi too reiterated that the BJP is not against any particular religion but is opposed to appeasement politics.

“My relationship with Muslims is the same as their relationship with me. There is a Muslim minister in my cabinet. There is a Muslim minister in the Union Cabinet. Arif Mohammad Khan is serving as the Governor in Kerala… We are not focused on faces, but on development, harmony and ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. We are not against any religion. We are against anti-national forces,” Yogi Adityanath said.

Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections 2022 will be held in seven phases on the following dates: February 10 (Thursday), February 14 (Monday), February 20 (Sunday), February 23 (Wednesday), February 27 (Sunday), March 3 (Thursday) and March 7 (Monday). The Uttar Pradesh election results 2022 will be declared on March 10 (Thursday).

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly has a total of 403 seats, with 202 being the majority mark. The BJP has set the target of 300-plus seats this time as well.

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