A day after the Opposition criticised the Samajwadi Party government for its move to withdraw cases filed against Muslim leaders in connection with last year’s Muzaffarnagar communal riots, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday denied that there was any such plan.
However, he admitted that information about the persons booked in the riot cases had been sought from the district administration. “Information has been sought, but the cases have not been withdrawn,” he told journalists on the sidelines of an investment conference of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce here.
Mr. Yadav said the exercise followed a letter from the Union government, which said innocent persons should not be booked in riot cases. Information from the Muzaffarnagar administration would be sent to the Centre. He did not mention the name of any accused.
Cases have been filed against 41 Muslim leaders, including BSP MP Qadir Rana; BSP MLAs Noor Saleem Rana and Jameel Ahmed; and the former Congress MLA, Saeed-uz-Zaman. They face the charge of inciting communal passions by delivering hate speeches and defying prohibitory orders during a panchayat held at Khalapar on August 30. The Khalapar panchayat was held after the August 27 incident at Kawal, in which a Muslim youth and two Jats were killed following a dispute over alleged eve-teasing. Violence broke out in Muzaffarnagar district on September 7.
The BSP MP and the two MLAs were arrested but were freed on bail.
A December 20, 2013 letter, written by a Special Secretary in the Law Department, was sent to the District Magistrate, seeking information about the cases filed against the Muslim leaders, including Mr. Qadir Rana. The letter contained 13 points.
