UP Assembly drowns in din over Muzaffarnagar riots

BJP and BSP members on Monday tried to corner Uttar Pradesh government over the number of riots in the state and rehabilitation of Muzaffarnagar riot victims leading to a din and adjournment of the state Assembly.

The matter was raised during Question Hour by Congress member Anugrah Narain Singh, who sought to know from the government about the number of riots and those killed and injured in it in the state since 2009.

In his reply, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan told the House that since 2009 four riots had taken place in which 57 persons were killed and 136 injured. However, unsatisfied with the answer, BJP member Satish Mahana said that in earlier session, the government had informed the House that 27 riots had taken place and the present figure of only four riots was not correct.

Leader of the Opposition, Swami Prasad Maurya also asked the government to clear the figure on riots and claimed that as per IB report 115 riots took place in the state. Maurya said that thousands of riot victims were living in a miserable condition under open sky in Muzaffarnagar and alleged that the state government was orchestrating riots in the state.

Saying that the government was not giving satisfactory reply over rehabilitation of riot victims, Maurya jumped into the Well of the House with BSP members raising anti-government slogans.

As BSP members returned to their seats on Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey's request, Khan's allegation that BSP men were involved in Muzaffarnagar riots and NSA was also invoked against them incited BJP members.

BJP leader Suresh Rana, who is accused of Muzaffarnagar riots, claimed that SP and BSP were hand in gloves and no action was taken against any BSP men in Muzaffaranagar.  "We will like to know how many BSP men were framed in the Muzaffarnagr riots... and how many of them were booked in NSA," BJP legislative party leader Hukum Singh said as BJP members jumped into the Well.

In a bid to control the situation, Speaker Pandey said that on a remark of the minister, supplementary question could not be raised but after BJP members did not pay heed he adjourned the House of 10 mintues and extended it further to five minutes more.

Earlier, Azam Khan said that the state government was committed to check occurance of riots in the state and necessary directives have been issued in this regard.