Saharanpur violence: Akali delegation meets Akhilesh

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Monday assured a Shiromani Akali Dal delegation that his government was committed to provide security and justice to all people in the state and compensation would be paid to the victims of the communal clash in Saharanpur town.

He also reiterated the resolve of the Samajwadi Party (SP) government to ensure that the people behind the violence, that left three people dead and over three dozen people injured, were brought to justice and punished as per law.

The delegation of Punjab's ruling party that met the chief minister in Lucknow urged him to provide adequate compensation to Sikhs who became victims of the violence. They also urged him to ensure the safety of Sikhs and asked him to allow construction of the gurdwara as per the norms under the ambit of law, an Akali Dal spokesman said in Chandigarh.

The delegation comprised Rajya Sabha member and former union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal and former union minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia.

Dhindsa said that Akhilesh Yadav told the delegation that the situation in the violence-hit town was under control.

The chief minister said that necessary action, keeping in mind the court verdict with regard to the land in question, will be initiated and that adequate compensation would be paid to those affected in the violent incidents, he added.

Afterwards, both sides expressed the hope that normalcy will soon return to Saharanpur and urged the people not to be carried away by rumours and work towards restoring peace and calm.

Violence broke out in Saharanpur Saturday after a verdict by the high court in a land dispute case led to some construction work on the land claimed by a gurdwara.

This led to a violent clash between two communities in which both sides pelted stones and fired at each other. Apart from the deaths, over four dozen vehicles and shops were gutted in the violence that followed.

Protests were held against the violence in some parts of Punjab and Jammu. Both union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal have spoken to Akhilesh Yadav about the incident.