Political blame game has begun over the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots inquiry report by Justice Vishnu Sahay Commission.
Political blame game has begun over the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots inquiry report by Justice Vishnu Sahay Commission, which is reported to have commented adversely on the BJP and the ruling Samajwadi party in Uttar Pradesh, as the two parties held each other responsible for the communal violence that left 62 people dead.
According to the government, apart from the deaths, thousands of others were displaced. One of the accused is a BJP legislator, Sangeet Som. The BJP has rejected the report, saying its findings are politically motivated and meant to cover up the actions of the state government.
"I want to ask whether our statements were taken by the Commission. We have sufficient proof against SP leaders and officers responsible for the Muzaffarnagar riots. We reject the report. It has no meaning," said Mr Som, who was given Z category security last year by the Centre.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) has accused the BJP of defending and even rewarding leaders accused for instigating the riots. A spokesperson of SP, Gaurav Bhatia said, "Most of the leaders who have been chargesheeted and are facing trial for heinous offences in the riots are from BJP."
The Congress claims that the report has named some people, against whom no action has been taken. Manish Tewari said, "Action needs to be taken against all those responsible... The difficulty in this country is that such inquiry committee reports are confined to the record room, where they gather dust."
The Bahujan Samaj Party demanded that the Commission's report should be made public. In a statement, party chief Mayawati said, "Though riots in SP regime are routine, Muzaffarnagar riots showed lax attitude of SP and its connivance with BJP."
The one-man Commission yesterday submitted to UP Governor Ram Naik its report on the inquiry into the riots in Muzaffarnagar and surrounding districts of western UP. The contents of the report have not been made public yet while Mr Sahai has declined to reveal the findings.