Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Amit Shah incited communal violence in UP: Akhilesh

Last updated on: September 24, 2013 14:41 IST
General Secretary incharge of the state Amit Shah

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in an interview with CNN-IBN hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party saying there is ample evidence to show that BJP leaders are stoking communal divide in the state.

Transcript of the interview

Role of Samajwadi Party in the communal riots

People have faith in the Samajwadi Party government…people will know what happened in Muzaffarnagar and those incidents which happened before and after that. Some political parties are attempting to change the direction given by the SP govt in the state.

The riots being a blot on Akhilesh Yadav's career

Some political parties want to spoil the mood (communal harmony) in the state…like some parties tried to initiate the 84 Koshi Parikrama in Ayodhya, which when we checked, we found that it was never carried at that time and on that route.

Similarly, in Jhansi it was the same, there is a temple where before independence Hindus and Muslims were staying together for ages. Nobody knew about it but suddenly members of the BJP identified that people stay here like this and decided to oust them. The government did stop them. All the communal incidents being talked about, if we look at them...BSP and BJP are behind them and the govt has taken strict actions whenever required.

Click NEXT to read further...

'Small incidents being giving communal colour for political gains'

Last updated on: September 24, 2013 14:41 IST

People losing faith in the SP government

Samajwadi Party government came for the welfare of the people. The SP govt is working on its manifesto. Why are they not raising questions on development?

The law and order in the state

It is difficult to fight on secular issues and development issues, and very easy to give a communal angle to any incident. Various political groups are raising incidents and scaling up even small incidents, giving them a communal colour for political gains.

Transferring the district magistrate & senior superintendent of police

The situation has been handled by the administration itself. Take the case of Shamli, the incident was about a girl who came with two boys which was blown out of proportion and given a communal colour.

It is difficult to say about the truth of the sting operation but to do the sting operation on only specific police personnel who were responsible for law and order...they are coming in sting operation. Secondly, In Kawal, the incident happened between two groups...and officers were transferred because when one group of people were returning from a cremation, there was ransacking of property and there was no action on time.

All good officers are given the opportunity to work and if police officers faced political interference they should have spoken out earlier.

Azam Khan

Azam Khan is a senior party leader and he would never pressurise the police that no FIR should be filed against him. There was no political pressure to not act against Azam Khan.

There is no case against him and Azam khan is not involved in communalisation.

Amit Shah's hand as alleged by Mulayam Singh

In Jhansi, there was a temple where Hindus and Muslims were living together since independence. Then why did BJP raise the issue of temple in the area and to remove the Muslims in that area...I am saying who suggested this to BJP?

Vote bank politics

SP does not do politics on communal riots and if someone has done, action will be taken. SP is going by its manifesto.

Sacchar Committee and Ragannath Mishra Committee reports are being implemented, they were done by central govt, and you don't ask them. If we are giving them beneficial schemes according to their population then what wrong are we doing?

Since I joined politics, I have been wearing a cap. When I go to my constituency and people give me a cap, I wear it. For me to wear a cap just to please some people is wrong...As far as Muslims are concerned SP is working for the development of these people.

Click NEXT to read further...

'Govt was not wrong in suspending IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal'

Last updated on: September 24, 2013 14:41 IST
Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow.

Lawlessness in Uttar Pradesh

Wrong to say UP is lawless. Whenever there is any incident, the government has acted promptly, when required we called the army as well.

See why does the BJP and others parties work towards bringing communal disharmony in the society only during SP's tenure? SP is taking action wherever required. SP gives administration a free hand to work.

If you bring in figures on law and order of the state from 2007 to 2011, it will be clear that there have been more incidents of communal riots under the BSP regime compared to that under SP.”

Hate speeches

Those who have given hate speeches, strong action will be taken...some are already behind bars, law will act against others.

Durga Shakti Nagpal

The govt has not done anything wrong in the Durga Shakti case. During that time Ramzan was on and demolishing the wall would have created tensions. When the Local Intelligence Unit report came...government acted on the report that people are upset and there could be tension in the area. The IAS officer (Durga Shakti) also did not notify the demolition. The masjid was being constructed with donation collected by the people there. The wall was being built.

Revoking her suspension

Durga Shakti and her husband came to us, they put forward many issues and points, we heard them and then decided to revoke.

Whatever mistake was there everyone knows…Sand mining was not an issue at all. Now that issue is over. The government has accepted the points she has put and the inquiry is over.

Dynastic politics

Those who are not able to counter the SP government because of our good work and the development we are doing are raking these issues. For example ever since medical colleges in UP have come up...in only 15 months SP has increased 500 seats...no state has ever increased so many seats ever...new medical colleges are universities are coming up.

Wrong to say that Shivpal Yadav etc. are running the government. UP govt is running efficiently. The decisions have to be taken by the CM but when there is a need for suggestions, they are taken and if suggestions are good, then they should be implemented and is done as well.

Infrastructure development

On power...has the earlier govt done anything but SP is working on generation of power.

SP is working on power generation and supply. Till the basics are not done, how will power be supplied in the areas? The transformers were brought by the earlier government were of such poor quality that they could not take the load, those are to be rectified before the power supply reaches remote areas.

I am sure that those who have got laptops must be charging it from somewhere...but they are getting the benefits as well.

Modi wave in UP

Be any wave, people in UP will be with secular forces and for development.

Message to the people of UP after the (Muzaffarnagar) incident

Incidents like Muzaffarnagar will not happen again. The govt takes responsibility and SP will assure such incidents do not happen again. Govt will accept whatever is the mistake of the government. SP will act sternly against those responsible for spoiling the harmony of the state.

TOP photo features you missed last week

Last updated on: September 24, 2013 14:41 IST

Click on MORE to see another PHOTO features...