Sardhana in Meerut witnessed high drama at noon on Friday when defiant BJP MLA Sangeet Som, along with thousands of his supporters, attempted to begin his much-publicised “Nirbhaya Yatra”, ostensibly
Sardhana in Meerut witnessed high drama at noon on Friday when defiant BJP MLA Sangeet Som, along with thousands of his supporters, attempted to begin his much-publicised “Nirbhaya Yatra”, ostensibly to instil confidence among Hindus.
The yatra was stalled about two km out of Sardhana but Mr Som served an ultimatum to the Akhilesh Yadav government in UP to bring back the “migrants” to Kairana within 15 days or else he would resume his yatra.
The local administration had imposed prohibitory orders in Sardhana late Thursday night but Mr Som’s supporters were allowed to assemble outside his house, raise provocative slogans and even wave firearms in the air. The MLA and his supporters were, however, stopped near Sardhana canal and prevented from moving forward.
Since the legislator’s purpose — to get publicity from the Kairana migration issue — had been achieved, he readily agreed to stall his yatra. “A CBI inquiry into the issue will reveal the truth behind migration in Kairana and Kandhla. I will stand with the people of Uttar Pradesh and fight for their rights. If people are migrating from Kairana, we will make all efforts to bring them back. We will not let UP become Kashmir,” Mr Som said.
The “Sadbhavna Yatra” announced by local SP leader Atul Pradhan, apparently in response to the BJP MLA’s Nirbhay Yatra, was also not allowed by the local administration.
The Kairana issue also revealed the differences within the BJP over it and the eagerness of its leaders to claim the credit for the situation arising out of the purported migration.
Mr Som is apparently trying to position himself as a Hindu hardliner by “interfering” in the Kairana issue. He had earlier taken a similar position during the Muzaffarnagar riots and the Dadri lynching incident.
BJP MP from Kairana Hukum Singh, who had raised the issue of migration from his constituency, had appealed to Mr Som not to undertake the yatra as it could disrupt communal harmony. Mr Singh is apparently trying to play down the communal angle in the migration and wants to focus on the region’s law and order problems.
Mr Som said on Friday morning that he had no such information and had not received any call form Mr Hukum Singh. “In a democracy, everyone has the right to put forward their point and hold a march. We will work in accordance with the law,” he said.
State BJP president Keshav Maurya, on the other hand, distanced himself from Mr Som’s yatra and said the party was not involved in any such programme.
Kairana, meanwhile, turned into a fortress of sorts on Friday with a heavy deployment of policed and paramilitary forces.
Senior Samajwadi Party minister and party spokesman Shivpal Singh Yadav, meanwhile, told reporters in Lucknow that the BJP should first bring back those who had migrated from Gujarat after the Godhra riots. He said this was yet another attempt by the BJP to fuel communal tension in the state. He also appealed to seers to visit Kairana and see the truth for themselves.
BJP MP from Kairana Hukum Singh, who had raised the issue of migration from his constituency, had appealed to Mr Som not to undertake the yatra as it could disrupt communal harmony. Mr Singh is apparently trying to play down the communal angle in the migration and wants to focus on the region’s law and order problems.
Mr Som said on Friday morning that he had no such information and had not received any call form Mr Hukum Singh. “In a democracy, everyone has the right to put forward their point and hold a march. We will work in accordance with the law,” he said.
State BJP president Keshav Maurya, on the other hand, distanced himself from Mr Som’s yatra and said the party was not involved in any such programme.
Kairana, meanwhile, turned into a fortress of sorts on Friday with a heavy deployment of policed and paramilitary forces.
The “Sadbhavna Yatra” announced by local SP leader Atul Pradhan, apparently in response to the BJP MLA’s Nirbhay Yatra, was also not allowed by the local administration.
Senior Samajwadi Party minister and party spokesman Shivpal Singh Yadav, meanwhile, told reporters in Lucknow that the BJP should first bring back those who had migrated from Gujarat after the Godhra riots. He said this was yet another attempt by the BJP to fuel communal tension in the state. He also appealed to seers to visit Kairana and see the truth for themselves.
