UP temperature up after Justice Vishnu Sahai Commission submits report on Muzaffarnagar riots

LUCKNOW: Political temperature in the state shot up after reports that the Justice Vishnu Sahai Commission that probed the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 has named politicians of the ruling Samajwadi Party and BJP for instigating the riots.

Contents of the report, submitted to governor Ram Naik, are not officially known. The governor will forward the report to the chief minister for taking action. But sources confirmed that the report blamed politicians belonging to the SP and BJP. It also mentioned the role of some BJP leaders for vitiating the atmosphere in western UP after the riots started in September 2013 and pinpointed to dereliction of duty of bureaucrats and police officers.

The 775 page report into the riots that killed more than 62 people and rendered more than 40,000 people homeless was prepeared after recording statements of 377 common witnesses and 100 officials. The Justice Vishnu Sahai Commission which was appointed by the state government in the aftermath of the riots also questioned then DGP Devraj Nagar and SP of all five affected districts.

Justice Sahai refused to divulege details on his report. "There were some politicians. The role of officials has been examined in detail in the report. We have also suggested steps to prevent such a riot in the future," he said.

While the Congress demanded that the report be made public and be placed in the UP assembly, there was no official word on the report. Congress spokesperson Virendra Madan said that both the SP and BJP were responsible for the riots. "The BJP instigated riots with an eye on the Lok Sabah polls which were due less than a year after the carnage happened. The ruling Samajwadi Party did nothing to stop it. Both are to be blamed and we will take the report to the people once its out," Madan said.

BJP MP Sangeet Som, who was seen as one of the important figures involved in the riots rejected the report. "We were not made part of the report. It seems one sided and we reject it," Sangeet Som, who is alleged to have circulated some video clips through social media said.