The All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, umbrella body of Indian Muslim organisations, on 8 August said that the Akhlesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh has utterly failed on the law and order front and should be dismissed forthwith to allow for a spell of governor raj.
The Mushawarat also demanded that political parties indulging in communal politics should be derecognised and individuals found guilty of indulging in communal politics and stoking violence should be barred from contesting in elections.
The Mushawarat made these demands in a letter to the Union Home Minister Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde. The letter signed by Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, President of the Mushawarat, said inter alia: “Ever since the Samajwadi Party government came to power in Uttar Pradesh early last year, it has looked the other way giving full freedom to the RSS-BJP-backed hate peddlers who are pushing the whole state to strife and riot for political gain. According to reports available with us, over two hundred riots have taken place in the state during the short period of SP government which itself has accepted on the floor of the state assembly that 27 communal riots have taken place across the state.
“It is our considered opinion that the SP government in Uttar Pradesh has failed in its basic duties and it is collaborating with communal elements to polarise the society ahead of the general elections next year. It is, therefore, necessary to dismiss this government and bring in a spell of governor raj to control the situation and shackle the communal elements in the state.
“It is also our considered opinion that communal politics has become a tool of winning elections. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to derecognise political parties playing the communal card and to strip individuals doing communal politics and stoking violence of their right to contest elections if they are found guilty of indulging in communal politics aiming at the polarisation and division of society.”
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has also demanded that the Centre immediately impose President’s rule in Uttar Pradesh due to the complete failure of the administration in maintaining law and order in the state and the inability to control the riots that have engulfed the western region.
In a statement on 8 September, RLD president Ch Ajit Singh said, “There have been more than 100 cases of communal riots in Uttar Pradesh since the Samajwadi Party came to power in the state. The latest riots in Muzaffarnagar have exposed the weak, ineffective and careless government which is instigating the riots from the backdoor….
“The Samajwadi Party has been dividing the society on communal lines and is trying to divide the people who have been living in harmony and peace. It is because the Samajwadi Party is fearful of the voters’ ire against the government’s non-performance they have resorted to communalising the region.”