Muzaffarnagar riots: Two legislators arrested (Roundup)

Two more opposition legislators were arrested Saturday over the communal clashes in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district even as BJP president Rajnath Singh blamed the state's ruling Samajwadi Party for the conflagration.

Sangeet Som, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Sardhana, surrendered in Salawa village of Meerut, while Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) lawmaker Noor Saleem Rana was also arrested hours later from Meerut.

The arrests came after BJP lawmaker Suresh Rana was arrested in Lucknow Friday.

BJP President Rajnath Singh, Saturday called off his visit to violence-hit Muzaffarnagar district, and said in Delhi that whenever the Samajwadi Party (SP) comes to power, "a series of communal riots begin in Uttar Pradesh".

Meerut police chief Deepak Kumar said security has been beefed up in the entire region following the arrests.

Som has been booked on charges of making and distributing a fake CD that showed a man being lynched. Investigations revealed the video was three-years old about an incident in Pakistan. Som is accused of doctoring it and claiming it to be a local one.

Som has denied the charges.

Rana and Noor Saleem were arrested for allegedly making provocative speeches in the run up to the communal clashes.

Rana, brought to Muzaffarnagar on transit remand Saturday, was remanded in 14 days' judicial custody.

The 16 political leaders against whom warrants have been issued include BSP MP Qadir Rana, BJP legislator Bhartendu Singh, BSP legislator Maulana Jameel, Congress leader Saeeduzaman and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Naresh Tikait.

BJP president Rajnath Singh was quick to blame the Samajwadi Party for the violence in Muzaffarnagar.

"If we see the history of riots, then we can see that whenever the Samajwadi Party (SP) comes to power, a series of communal riots begin in Uttar Pradesh," he said after he was requested by District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma not to come to Muzaffarnagar city.

In a fax letter sent to the BJP president's office, the DM urged him not to pay a visit to the area as it could disturb calm and peace that is prevailing in the area after a string of violent clashes and incidents since Sep 7.

Rajnath Singh accused the Akhilesh Yadav government of arresting innocent people in order to veil their involvement in the act of violence.

"The sting operation by a television channel clearly proves that the people who are present inside the government have a hand in the riots, so why are they only arresting the BJP legislators?" he asked.

Rajnath Singh said the situation in Muzaffarnagar is like during the period of emergency, and said BJP leaders will meet President Pranab Mukherjee Sep 24.

"We have asked for president's time so that we can give him the real details of the situation," he said.

He also said BJP legislators were not in any way involved in inciting violence when communal riots broke out in Muzaffarnagar Sep 7, leaving 48 dead and over 40,000 homeless.