: Claiming that its stand had been established, the BJP on Thursday demanded a CBI probe into the alleged exodus of Hindus from the town of Kairana in the communally volatile western Uttar Pradesh after a probe by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) found that there was indeed migration from the area due to criminalisation.
The BJP said the NHRC’s report was a “mirror” to the Samajwadi Party government, which had insisted the migration had occurred due to economic reasons and not communal or law and order factors. “A CBI probe is the only option left,” BJP State president and MP Keshav Maurya said, adding that the NHRC report was a stamp of approval on the party’s claim of “jungle raj” in the State.
BJP MP from Kairana, Hukum Singh, had in June raked up a major controversy after he claimed that Hindus were fleeing from the area in alleged terror of criminals belonging to the minority community. Though holes were found in Mr. Singh’s list of people allegedly fleeing the area — many families mentioned by him still lived in Kairana while others migrated for work and education — his party pressed the issue and even submitted a memorandum to Governor Ram Naik.
Action taken reportThe NHRC, which had issued notices to the State then, has now asked UP Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to submit an action taken report within eight weeks, based on the observations and recommendations of its probe team, which had visited Kairana. The commission has also asked the U.P. government to constitute a “high-level committee” to explore the possibility of the return of the families that had allegedly left Kairana, if they desired to do so.
The NHRC urged the State to “take all necessary steps for improving the law and order situation in Kairana so as to restore the faith of the people in the law and order machinery, so that people are not forced to migrate due to activities of local criminals and extortion rackets in future”.
The commissioner and the district magistrate of the Saharanpur division, under which Kairana falls, have also been asked to organise regular meetings of religious and political leaders from both the communities at the local level to sort out differences amicably.
‘Ensure fair trial’In the midst of the controversy in June, a BJP team had visited Kairana and concluded that there was forced migration of residents due to fear induced by police appeasement of criminals belonging to the minority community. The district administration, however, rubbished the BJP’s theory of a “Hindu exodus” and rejected the accusation that migration was taking place due to law and order problems. It cited the lack of industries and health and educational centres in Karaina as the reason behind an economic migration.
The NHRC also referred to the cases against the gang led by Mukim Kala, a local criminal cited by the BJP as terrorising Hindu traders, and directed the State to “ensure fair and impartial trial as there was apprehension that witnesses would not be able to depose against them due to their fear and terror”.
The State had earlier claimed that Mukim Kala’s gang had been neutralised, and that both Hindu and Muslim families were affected by his crimes, which were “purely criminal” and not communal.
