Muzaffarnagar Riot Accused gets Z+ Security Cover

NEW DELHI: A year after the Muzaffarnagar violence hundreds of residents have still not returned to their homes for fear of attack, even as the central government has conferred Z class security status on prime accused Sangeet Som.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh took the decision to grant Som the security cover reportedly based on an “assessment” that he required it. It might be recalled that he has been booked for inciting violence in Muzaffarnagar and was directly responsible for posting a wrong video on the social media that contributed to the rise in tensions and subsequent violence.

Over 63 persons, mostly Muslims, were killed in Muzaffarnagar and 40,000 displaced in a first of its kind violence that moved from the town into the villages in western UP within hours. Tensions still continue in that region, with several communal incidents being reported since.

Som had posted a video of an incident in Pakistan several years ago, and circulated it as the perpetrators of the violence were the minorities in Muzaffarnagar. The state police took considerable time in arresting him, with Som being greeted as a ‘hero’ by other BJP leaders in the state. In fact a felicitation ceremony was held by the BJP specifically for him and other riot accused Suresh Rana at a meeting in Agra that was attended by senior party leaders and at the time UP election in charge Amit Shah.

Interestingly this was done shortly before the arrival of then BJP candidate Narendra Modi who addressed the rally. The two legislators who had been booked even at the time under the National Security Act left the dais before his arrival. The local BJP leaders described them both as “heroes and saviours of Hindus.”

Opposition parties have reacted to the government’s decision to give enhanced security cover to the BJP legislator who had also attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oath taking ceremony. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, "This is very uncanny about this government that the people who actually suffered in the riots do not have a shelter above their heads, and those who are supposed to be responsible for these riots, are being provided Z+ security. What can be more painful than this for the sufferers of the riots?"

Congress leader Rashid Alvi said, "See, I am surprised at how a person against whom there is an FIR for communal violence is provided with Z+ security. Those who are the reason for the riots are being provided security and those who are the victims are without shelter. I condemn this."

Tariq Anwar of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said, "How can a person who plays with the feelings of a community, and thereby, creates communal tension, be provided with Z+ security? This kind of thing can only happen during the rule of the BJP."