SP communalizing atmosphere in UP, Cong adding fuel to fire: BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP today accused Samajwadi Party of communalising the atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh in the wake of the violence in Moradabad and charged Congress with adding fuel to the already-charged atmosphere.

BJP also demanded removal of the SSP of Morababad, whom it charged with working at the instance of the Samajwadi Party government, and asked the state administration to act fairly without favouring any particular community.

"The Akhilesh Yadav government is acting out of frustration over his party's defeat in Lok Sabha polls and is trying to hide its failures by flaring up communal passions now as in Moradabad," BJP's media cell incharge Shrikant Sharma said.

He alleged SP is trying to hide its own "failures" on the power front, "deteriorating" law and order and increased atrocities on women in the state and is "unfortunately working on communal lines with votebank politics in mind".

Attacking Congress, he charged "the party has no moral right to comment on such issues as Congress has been stoking communal passions by indulging in appeasement politicis for long."

Congress today accused BJP of creating tension in Moradabad and defended the Samajwadi Party government over police action, saying there was no other option but to take law and order measures.

Party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of remaining "silent" while ruling BJP practices "divisive politics" and taking steps aimed at "purely electoral purposes".

Violent protests broke out in Kanth area of Moradabad yesterday over holding a 'Mahapanchayat' during which BJP leaders, including four MPs and MLA Sangeet Som, were detained.