Kairana migration: BJP in war of words with SP

As political temperatures rose over the alleged exodus of Hindus from Kairana village in Shamli district in western Uttar Pradesh ahead of elections due in the state next year, the BJP promised ‘proper action’ after the completion of the probe. Shamli district had witnessed communal riots in 2013. 

A day after BJP chief Amit Shah expressed serious concern over the ‘migration’, senior BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari said his party has taken up the issue with all seriousness. “Party President has set up a committee, which will go there and study the situation. Such a migration is not good for democracy. The party is sensitive about it and proper steps will be taken after the report is prepared,” Gadkari told reporters on the second day of BJP National Executive meeting in Allahabad. The seven-member committee comprises four MPs and three leaders from UP. 

Gadkari, a former BJP President, parried a question about the Samajwadi Party(SP) government’s assertion that many Hindus had migrated from Kairana long back and some of them are now already dead, saying the BJP President has already reacted to this matter. “The party is sensitive on this issue and will take proper action,” was his repeated refrain. Akhilesh Yadav accused BJP leaders of being ‘dishonest’ and ‘lying’ on the issue and said he would like to see ‘better work’ from the BJP. 

“The BJP is alleging that the Samajawadi Party government forced the people flee from Kairana... BJP can be dishonest to this extent,” Yadav told reporters in Mathura after meeting the families of two police officers killed in the violence that erupted during an anti-encroachment drive on June 2. Yadav claimed that most of the people left the village about 10 to 15 years back while others left in search of jobs about seven or eight years back.