BJP using weapon of communalism for political gains in UP: Samajwadi Party

Hitting back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Kairana exodus row, Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal on Wednesday accused the saffron party of spreading communalism for political gains ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

"After being disappointed in Allahabad, I think the only weapon left with the BJP is to spread communalism and divide the state between the Hindus and Muslims. If the people are going to other places for earning money, that shouldn't be called migration," Agarwal told ANI.

Further escalating his attack, the Samajwadi Party leader said the BJP was trying to crush the feeling of brotherhood in the state, adding the Uttar Pradesh Government should initiate strict action against such elements.

"The BJP doesn't have any issue to raise. After miserable failing in addressing the issues raised during the Lok Sabha elections, they now have no issues left and are making desperate attempts to communalise the situation in the state and fight the elections in Uttar Pradesh with the same agenda. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party want to disturb the tranquility in the country," he added.

BJP legislator and Muzaffarnagar riots accused Hukum Singh, who had earlier reportedly said that the Hindus were being forced to leave their homes in the Muslim-majority town in Kairana, has now backtracked from his claims.

He has said that the "migration" of Hindus from Kairana was "not communal" in nature, adding that people are leaving the region due to law and order problems and threats by goons.

According to reports, the police have ordered a probe into the alleged migration after Singh presented a list of 346 families from the Muslim-majority town while claiming that they had to leave their homes after attacks and extortion attempts.