Sardhana tense after rally by Dalits, Muslims
26, Feb 2016
The sloganeering reportedly took place after a condolence meet for a Dalit youth Kuldip, who was killed in Sonipat on February 21 during the Jats’ protests in demand of caste-based reservation.
Written by AMIT SHARMA
Meerut Published:Feb 26, 2016, 1:03
Sardhana town in Meerut is in the grip of tension after members of the Balmiki Samaj and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) took out a rally on Wednesday under the banner of “Aarakshan Bachao Sangarsh Samiti” in which they allegedly raised slogans against Hinduism and in favour of Islam. The sloganeering reportedly took place after a condolence meet for a Dalit youth Kuldip, who was killed in Sonipat on February 21 during the Jats’ protests in demand of caste-based reservation. The condolence meet was being held at a dharamshala near Bhatwada.
An FIR in this connection was registered late on Wednesday night, but no arrests have been made so far. In response to the rally, activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad staged a demonstration in the same area on Thursday and demanded that a case of sedition be registered against three persons named in the FIR. BJP MLA from Sardhana, Sangeet Som, told The Indian Express: “The Akhilesh government should take immediate action and those responsible for the rally should be booked under sedition. We will launch a sustained stir if action is not taken.” SP (rural) Praveen Ranjan said adequate force has been deployed in the area. “A case for invoking communal sentiments, false propaganda against religion and an attempt to block the road has been registered under various sections of the IPC. Raids are being conducted to arrest three persons, Amit Chaudhary, Gaurav Parcha and Walli-ur-Rehaman and six other unidentified persons,” he said. He also claimed that police have video recordings of the rally, based on which action will be taken. Walli-ur-Reheman is chief of the AIMIM’s city unit. While he admitted that he took part in the procession, he said no slogans were raised during the rally. Chief of BJP’s UP unit Vineet Sharda met DIG (Meerut Range) Lakshmi Singh on Thursday and demanded strict action in this regard.
