The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said that violence in Uttrakhand’s Haldwani as a “conspiracy” and called for stringent action against the perpetrators.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harnath Yadav said, “The incident in Haldwani is a conspiracy. Bombs, country pistols, and other weapons were used, and government officials and police were attacked. There should be an order to shoot rioters on sight…There is no need to be lenient with them.”
The MP from Uttar Pradesh urged the Uttarakhand government to “search every house” and take decisive action against the culprits.
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BJP MP Ashok Bajpai deemed the incident unfortunate and possibly a conspiracy. “The incident is very unfortunate; it looks like a conspiracy because the encroachment was removed based on the order of the Supreme Court. Stone pelting, petrol bombs, and firing were carried out on a large scale. Police personnel have been injured, and strict action needs to be taken,” he said, as PTI reported.
Bajpai also alleged that “opposition parties” were harbouring “anarchist” elements. Dinesh Sharma of the BJP echoed similar sentiments, stating, “There are some anarchist elements and some political figures providing them protection. They are attempting to disturb peace.”
He added, “With PM Modi at the Centre, wherever there is a BJP government, those who engage in or incite riots will be remembered by future generations for the consequences of taking law and order into their hands.”
Haldwani District Magistrate Vandana Singh on Friday said that an attempt by the mob to “burn the police personnel who were trapped inside the police station alive.” The death toll from Thursday’s violence rose to five, with three individuals in critical condition, according to The Indian Express.
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Unrest flared up on Thursday in the Banbhoolpura area of the Haldwani district after the administration conducted a demolition drive at a mosque and a madrasa, allegedly on Nazool land. The situation escalated with stone-pelting, torched cars, and the surrounding of a police station, prompting Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami to issue shoot-on-sight orders and Section 144 was also imposed.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi blamed the BJP for creating “polarisation” as the main reason behind the violence.
“When the intention is just polarisation, this is what happens… curfews are imposed, look at the incidents in Manipur. In every state, the BJP has created a situation where it will benefit from polarisation. Their tried and tested model is to polarize people for votes,” she remarked.
She asked the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take cognisance, she said that it is shameful if police have been attacked.
“It shows how hooliganism is prevailing in BJP-ruled states.” Rajya Sabha MP Brij Lal justified the removal of the madrasa as the trigger for the violence,” she said.