BJP protests slapping NSA on its UP legislators

The BJP Thursday hit out at Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party for going easy on its own leaders named in FIRs while slapping the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on its legislator Suresh Rana, arrested for allegedly fomenting trouble in Muzaffarnagar.

After meeting the two jailed legislators in Banda and Orai prisons, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Lakshmikant Bajpayi alleged the Akhilesh Yadav government had set out to divide the state on communal lines.

"By slapping NSA on Suresh Rana and Sangeet Som and not acting against the SP leaders like Rashid Siddiqui, also named in the FIRs, the state is being divided on communal lines," Bajpayi said, adding that while draconian laws were being slapped on BJP leaders, leaders like Qadir Rana and Siddiqui were being booked under lighter sections.

Bajpayi also questioned the removal of Additional Director General Arun Kumar and claimed Muzaffarnagar's Senior Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar has gone on leave after being forced to slap the NSA on BJP legislators.

"Acts like these to appease a certain community are destroying the police force in the state," he contended.

The riots in the western district of the state left 48 dead and more than 43,000 displaced and homeless.