UP CM cautions BJP workers to be on guard against people fomenting riots

Recalling the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal violence, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday asked BJP workers to be on guard against those fomenting riots.

The chief minister struck the cautionary note amid the government's claim of attempts by some people to instigate caste and communal violence in the state in the wake of the alleged gang-rape and subsequent death of a 19-year-old Dalit girl of Hathras.

Adityanath was addressing through video conference from Lucknow a gathering of BJP workers in Bulandshahr, where an assembly by-poll is to be held on November 3 to fill the seat fallen vacant after the death of BJP MLA Virendra Singh Sirohi.

"I think Muzaffarnagar riots are not to be forgotten by the people of western Uttar Pradesh and that is why I call upon all of you to be on guard against people who encourage riots ('dangon ke sarparast'). There is a need to expose these anti-development elements, said the CM said.

The people, who are anti-development, patronise rioters and instigate them to trigger caste and communal violence, the chief minister said in his address, video footage of which was made available to media persons.

At a time when the central and state governments are making the benefits of developmental schemes reach every citizen without discrimination, these people are misleading, conspiring and trying to orchestrate caste and communal riots to create, chaos, arson and trouble," he said.

The chief minister said whatever work the state government has done in the last three and a half years pertained to the implementation of the BJP's election manifesto.

The work done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the coronavirus pandemic proves it," he added.

Talking of local issues, the chief minister said an outstanding sum of Rs 1.6 lakh crore has been paid to sugar cane growers in the western UP against their outstanding dues.