BJP whipping up communal passion ahead of Bihar polls: CPM

CPI (M) today demanded "immediate" arrest of BJP's UP MLA Sangeet Som for his controversial remark in connection with Dadri lynching episode, even as it accused the saffron party of whipping up communal passion to polarise voters ahead of Bihar assembly polls.
"Relevant provisions of law should be invoked against Som and he should be arrested immediately. Som threatened minority community with "retaliation" invoking 2013 Muzaffarnager communal riots.
"While brazenly justifying murder of Iqlakh, he asserted that all those arrested were 'innocent' and demanded their release," the party said in a statement.
Accusing Hindutva outfits of conducting "virulent" communal campaign against minorities, CPI(M) said that the UP government must act firmly against all those indulging in communal propaganda.

Meanwhile, party MP and politburo member Mohammed Salim accused BJP of trying to whip up communal passion ahead of Assembly elections in Bihar.
He claimed the tactic is being used after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "first attempt" to woo voters by announcing huge financial package for the poll bound Bihar failed to evoke response.

"Modi's first attempt failed. Then (they raised) this question of reservation, anti-Mandal issue. Now they are trying to whip up communal passion, trying to polarise voters. But I don't think (it will work), because Bihar is not Gujarat," Salim said.
On Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi making alleged controversial remarks, Salim said "these people are complimenting each other".

During his visit to Dadri yesterday, Som had said "befitting reply will be given as was done in Muzaffarnagar" if innocents were framed in the lynching case, saying there was nothing "objectionable" in it.
Som, who was accused of making inflammatory speeches during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots, had accused the UP government of acting in a "biased" manner like it did during violence in western UP two years ago and was shielding those who had "slaughtered cow".