The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday turned down the opposition’s demand for a judicial probe by a sitting judge of Allahabad high court into Kasganj violence. The government, however, declared that special investigation team (SIT) will conduct the probe into incident that had claimed a life.
After repeated adjournments minister for parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna made this announcement. He added that ‘Tiranga Yatra’ was a regular feature at Kasganj for several years and refusal of crowd at Baddupur crossing to make way for the yatra was the main reason for the violence, which was not communal.
Earlier, the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress members staged a walkout saying only a judicial probe would reveal the truth as police will not work in an impartial manner.
Leader of opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary had raised the issue in the state assembly soon after the house assembled at 11 am and urged the speaker to allow him to speak on Kasganj communal violence. Other opposition members supported him. Speaker Hridaya Narain Dixit assured them that he would take up the issue after obituary references listed on agenda after question hour.
Speaking on admissibility of motion later Chaudhary, BSP leader Lalji Verma and Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar ‘Lallu’ spoke about the incidents that took place in Kasganj on January 26, and said the arson and violence there took place under police protection and he had CDs showing this. He said a group of youth on motor cycles leading ‘Tiranga Yatra’ had reached Baddunagar crossing where the Republic Day flag hoisting programme was being organised. He said the youths asked people present there to shout ‘Vande Matram’ and ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and started beating them. He said the youths returned after speaking to their chief and indulged in violence. A youth died in firing there. It appeared that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal had planned to incite communal violence there, he said.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking on admissibility of motion later Chaudhary, BSP leader Lalji Verma and Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar ‘Lallu’ spoke about the incidents that took place in Kasganj on January 26, and said the arson and violence there took place under police protection and he had CDs showing this. He said a group of youth on motor cycles leading ‘Tiranga Yatra’ had reached Baddunagar crossing where the Republic Day flag hoisting programme was being organised. He said the youths asked people present there to shout ‘Vande Matram’ and ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and started beating them. He said the youths returned after speaking to their chief and indulged in violence. A youth died in firing there. It appeared that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal had planned to incite communal violence there, he said.
{{/usCountry}}SP member Nitin Agarwal demanded a CBI probe into the incident. Later, Congress members also entered the well of the house to protest the government’s point that no permission was taken for hoisting flag at Baddupur crossing.