Ex-IPS Sanjeev Bhatt calls ‘Kasganj violence’ a 2019 election strategy

Kasganj: As violence spread across Kasganj former IPS Officer Sanjeev Bhatt termed it as a groundwork for 2019 elections.

Calling the violence as just the begining, he said “The low-grade communal fever will continue to persist and spread till the Lok Sabha Elections of 2019. Kasganj will be to 2019 what Muzaffarnagar was to 2014. Only this time, the reach will be much wider and the ramifications much deeper.”

More than 80 persons were arrested while Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel intensified vigil today in strife-torn Kasganj which continued to be tense on Sunday.

Explosives were found during house to house searches following which the state police chief said that the stringent National Security Act (NSA) would be invoked against the culprits.

A Muslim shopkeeper’s store was burnt down in communal violence-hit Kasganj city on Monday.

“Two hours ago, I got a call from a few people who told me that my shop was on fire.

I do not understand when we have nothing to with anything then why was my shop attacked,” asked Shakeel Ahmed, who owns a garment shop on Malgodam road.

The shop owner further said even though he was the only Muslim shopkeeper in the area, he never had issues with anyone.

“I have been living and working here for the past 20 years. Even though I am the only Muslim among a Hindu majority, we never had any problems,” he added.

Speaking on the matter, the newly appointed Kasganj Superintendent of Police (SP), Piyush Srivastava, called the matter unfortunate, adding that continuous patrolling was going on in the area.

The police have begun its investigation into the matter.

At least 112 people have been arrested till now for the riots that broke out on Saturday after a youth died during a clash on Friday.

The clash broke out after an unauthorised bike rally was taken out by RSS-affiliated students’ group Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in the city to commemorate the Republic Day, and allegedly stones were pelted at them during the road show.

Siasat Web Team