No communal riots when BJP is in power, claims Anil Bonde

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Anil Bonde, who was recently arrested in connection with communal riots in Amravati and released on bail, said no riots are reported whenever the BJP comes to power

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Anil Bonde, who was recently arrested in connection with communal violence in Amravati and released on bail, said no riots are reported whenever the BJP comes to power. He further said that the riots occur when the secular or left government is in power. Bhonde also alleged that a large section of the Muslim community is involved in illegal activities and that money is being used for rioting.

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Anil Bonde said no communal riots are reported whenever the BJP comes to power. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Bonde made the claims in a discussion on Twitter Spaces. The audio copy of the claims was posted by Maharashtra the Nationalist Congress party (NCP) minister Nawab Malik on Twitter on Thursday. Bonde reiterated the comments later in a press conference held in Amravati.

“Listen to this BJP MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) from Amravati,” Malik tweeted, quoting a popular Hindi phrase, “Jhoot bole kauva kaate,” (If you lie, a black crow will bite you).

“Gujarat saw no (communal) riots post-Godhra riots. In Ahmedabad, there were riots every year. However, no riots were reported ever since the Modi government came to power (in Gujarat), in the past 10-15 years. Even in Yogi ji’s government (in Uttar Pradesh) there were no riots reported. Similarly, no communal riot was reported in the five years of Devendra Fadnavis government (in Maharashtra)… But whenever a secular or left government comes in power they (Muslims) dare to do such activities because they know they have some protection from the (political) leaders,” Bonde can be heard saying in the audio clip.

“Whenever BJP comes in power, they (Muslim community) don’t dare to create nuisance and I’m not saying this as its office-bearer… This is a fact and everyone should understand this. I have seen in the past five years of the Fadnavis government, not a single case of the riot was reported even in sensitive areas,” he added.

Later, in a press conference, he said he is firm on his statement. “Riots occur in the states where the so-called secular or left government is in power because they and their ministers protect and encourage riots and it is my experience,” Bonde told reporters in Amravati.

Bonde was arrested by Amravati police on Monday in connection with the violence over the weekend, along with a few local leaders. He was released on bail by a local court the same day.

Amravati city witnessed arson and vandalisation of shops, establishments and vehicles during a bandh called by the BJP on Saturday. It was called to protest against violence in Amravati, Nanded and Nashik districts on Friday, during a one-day protest called against violence against the Muslim community in Tripura.