UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that “no action will be taken on the house of a poor” but bulldozers will continue to crush “criminals and mafia”. His comments come a day after protests and clashes were reported from several parts of Uttar Pradesh against remarks on Prophet Mohammad by now-suspended BJP leaders.
“If any poor or helpless person’s house is constructed at an unsuitable place due to certain reasons, then proper arrangement will be made by the local administration first,” the chief minister said in a series of tweets.
Stating that there is no place for mischief makers in a civilised society, Yogi said “legal actions”, besides measures under provisions of the National Security Act will be initiated against those “spoiling the atmosphere” of the nation.
He said “Strictness will be shown against chaotic elements who are trying to ruin the atmosphere of the country. No innocent will be bothered, and no guilty will be spared.”
Adityanath has also directed officials to take “strictest” action against those responsible for the violence. Close to 255 people have so far been arrested from seven districts of the state during simultaneous raids conducted to identify and nab people involved in stone-pelting and arson amid the protests after Friday prayers on June 10.
According to additional director general of police (law and order) Prashant Kumar, the arrests include 68 from Prayagraj, 50 in Hathras, 48 in Saharanpur, 28 in Ambedkarnagar, 25 in Moradabad, and eight in Firozabad.
Saharanpur’s senior superintendent of police Akash Tomar said, “Arrests have been made in connection with Friday’s violence. Action will be taken against the arrested people under the National Security Act.”
Police officials in Prayagraj district also said that the NSA will be imposed against all those arrested, PTI reported. “Cases have been registered against 70 named people and 5,000 others at Khuldabad and Kareli police stations,” the Prayagraj SSP said.”Police are using CCTV footage to identify the accused,” he added.
Protesters allegedly pelted stones at police personnel in Prayagraj and Saharanpur on Friday. At least four other cities reportedly witnessed similar scenes during the alleged marches that were said to be carried out to decry the ‘offensive remarks’ on Prophet Mohammad made by now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
