Yogi Government’s Move to Withdraw Muzaffarnagar Riot Cases on Communal Grounds Promoting Lawlessness: SDPI

New Delhi 23 March 2018: Social Democratic Party of India National President A Sayeed has strongly condemned the Uttar Pradesh Government for its move of withdrawing cases of Muzaffarnagar riots and protecting the perpetrators of violence. It is to be noted that the Chief Minister of UP Yogi Adityanath has initiated a process to withdraw the cases filed regarding Muzaffarnagar and Shamli riots of 2013 against Hindus. A delegation of Khap Panchayat met Yogi in escort of Sanjeev Baliyan, the local MP and Umesh Malik, BJP MLA from Budhana Dist Muzaffarnagar and impressed upon him to withdraw 179 cases against 850 accused all belonging to Hindu community. On their request, CM Yogi had promptly initiated proceedings to withdraw 131 cases by sending letter to the UP law department which issued a letter to District Magistrate on 23 February 2018. It is well known that there had been a rampant violence, arson and uprooting of Muslims in September 2013 in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, in which 62 persons were brutally murdered and 6 cases of rapes were also registered, out of a total 503 cases against 1,455 persons in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts.

A Sayeed SDPI National President

Yogi Government has been Promoting and patronising Lawlessness and in the State by Withdrawing Cases of Muzaffarnagar Riots on Communal Basis – SDPI

A Sayeed, in a press statement said, it is also well known that the leaders of the BJP named as accused persons in various FIRs committing heinous crimes were honoured before the Parliamentary elections 2014 at the stage of BJP in the presence of BJP President Amit Shah. Now the BJP Government in the state has initiated process to stop the legal proceedings against those culprits. It is also a matter of concern that Yogi has also issued another letter on 5 January 2018 to District Magistrate for withdrawal of 9 cases filed against Umesh Malik, the BJP MLA from Budhana of Muzaffarnagar District, in which 2 are the riot cases. Yogi Adityanath himself accused in a dozen cases in Khushinagar and Gorakhpur has withdrawn them from the prosecution. Sayeed said, the move of withdrawing 131 cases linked to 2013 communal riots in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli also include 13 murders and 11 attempts to murder cases.

The SDPI leader has vehemently condemned the moves by Yogi Adityanath who is protecting the accused persons of the heinous crimes registered under sections 302, 307, 376, 153(A), 295(A) of IPC, which provide for sentence of jail imprisonment of a minimum of 7 years or more.

SDPI shall oppose it tooth and nail by resorting to all legal and democratic measures – A Sayeed, SDPI President

The SDPI leadership has deeply concerned that the program being promoted and executed by Yogi to collapse the rule of law and to cause failure to the administration of justice by withdrawing the cases on communal basis of the accused persons who happened to be the local leaders of the ruling party. The move providing passage to avoid the process of law and patronizing the offenders of collective and communal violence is the most reprehensible.  A Sayeed said, SDPI is bound to oppose the move and if this action of UP Government is not stopped and any decision is made, SDPI shall oppose it tooth and nail by resorting to all legal and democratic measures.