Kasganj violence: We will organise more ‘tiranga yatras’, says VHP

KASGANJ: The RSS-affiliated Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday has announced its plans to go ahead with many more Tiranga Yatras in the western Uttar Pradesh.

Vice president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Sunil Parashar reportedly made announcement saying, “More ‘Tiranga Yatra’ will be taken out in the Braj region over 20 districts in the Agra, Aligarh and Bareilly divisions in the days to come.”

It is to be noted that communal clashes broke out in Kasganj after unauthorised ‘Tiranga Yatra’ motorbike rally carried out by members of the ABVP and VHP allegedly clashed with members of Muslims community who live in the area on January 26 – India’s 60th Republic Day.

As life is slowly limping back to normalcy in strife-torn Kasganj, some anti-social elements tried to create trouble by damaging a dome-like structure on the wall of an Eidgah, located in Amanpur, about 25 km from the district headquarters, officials said on Tuesday.

“In Amanpur, some anti-social elements tried to foment trouble by damaging a dome-like structure on the boundary wall of an Eidgah. But, due to the swiftness of the police and administration, the situation was controlled,” District Magistrate R P Singh told reporters.

Bareilly district magistrate Raghvendra Vikram Singh on Monday in an Facebook post blame right-wing groups for provoking communal unrest.

The post—deleted by Singh on Tuesday—read: “These days, a strange trend of visiting Muslim-dominated localities and shouting anti-Pakistani slogans has started. Are they Pakistanis? The same thing happened in Khailam village in Bareilly. Stones were pelted, and complaints were lodged. Why don’t we raise anti-China slogans when the fact is that China is a bigger enemy than Pakistan.”

Singh added, “Cheen to bada dushman hai, tiranga lekar Cheen murdabad kyon nahin? (China is the bigger enemy. Why isn’t the tricolour waved and why aren’t anti-China slogans shouted?)”

Meanwhile CM Yogi Adityanath promised action against the perpetrators involved in the violence.

“Our government is committed to provide security to each and every citizen. Anarchy has no place in the state,” Adityanath told reporters in Lucknow, in his first comments on the Kasganj violence.