File photo: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi
Leaders of the BJP and Samajwadi Party or SP today traded allegations over the frequent incidents of communal violence in Uttar Pradesh, after Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi told a newspaper that he believed the clashes were "artificially engineered". (Also Read:
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The communal clashes in the state were part of a deliberate strategy to "divide the poor and pit brother against brother," said Mr Gandhi.
Media reports allege that there have been over 600 incidents of communal tension or violence between the end of May and July this year in Uttar Pradesh, which is ruled by the SP. (
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Mr Gandhi had on Wednesday led his party's vociferous demand for an urgent discussion on communal violence in Lok Sabha. He had surprised many when he had rushed to the well of the House and accused the Speaker of being biased. (
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Though Mr Gandhi refrained from naming any political party in his statement, the SP, which has faced much flak over the deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, seemed to do just that. (
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SP leader Rajendra Chauhdhary told media personnel, "The BJP thinks that (since) they have come to power at the Centre, they have got the license to do riots in UP".
"Since the SP government came to power, the BJP and the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) have constantly tried to spread communal tension in the state," he added.
A furious BJP hit back by claiming the Congress was "spreading communalism".
BJP leader Prakash Javadekar said, "Uttar Pradesh has the SP, which supports the Congress, and riots are happening there. The Congress itself is behind the communal riots".
Reacting strongly to Mr Gandhi's comments, another senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "He should stop using his secularism formula. People have rejected them (Congress) and he is still not able to understand."