Muzaffarnagar riots: Did not make an inciting remarks, claims Hukum Singh

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Babu Hukum Singh, who has been accused of instigating communal violence in Muzaffarnagar, on Monday denied making any remarks at a meeting with Hindu farmers in Kawal village, that eventually led to a clash with Muslims, and demanded an immediate investigation in the matter.

"I haven't made any inciting remarks. Why don't they present that cassette in front of the public? The cause of the delay was the incapability of the officials to take efficient decisions. They should hold an investigation, and prove me guilty. I am a simple political worker," he said.

"There was no contribution from me in holding this panchayat. Farmers union has always raised issues regarding farmers. I got an invitation for it. I thought they will discuss a matter of public opinion and I should be a part of it. Apart from this, I had nothing to do with the Panchayat," he added.

Hukum Singh blamed Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh government for failing to maintain peace, and alleged that the officials are falsely implicating people like him to get away from their bad reputation.

"My name and that of other have been taken because they are left with no choice. They failed in maintaining peace and order. People have totally lost faith in them. Officials are being continuously questioned, so they only blaming members of political groups. They are falsely implicating people to get away from their bad reputation," he added.

According to reports, three BJP MLAs including him and a former Congress MP have been booked for Muzaffarnagar riots for making inflammatory remarks at a meeting on Saturday of thousands of Jat farmers.

The Uttar Pradesh administration has suspended the Station House Officer (SHO) of Fugana and arrested over 90 persons following the riots in Muzaffarnagar, where 28 people have died and more than three dozen were injured in communal violence over the weekend.

Top officials, including Saharanpur Divisional Commissioner S K Srivastava, DIG D C Mishra and Meerut I G Brijbhushan, have been shunted out. Four IG-level officers have now been sent to Meerut, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Bagpat to control the situation.

The administration has issued shoot-at-sight orders, as the violence has spread to the rural areas. The violence spread to Baghpat district late last night, where one person was killed and four others injured.

Violence broke out in the Kawal area of Muzaffarnagar on Saturday when members of a community returning from a panchayat meeting in Naglabadhod, three kilometres from Kawal, clashed with members of another community.