Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has initiated a move to withdraw cases against its leaders accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots.
“A withdrawal application has been moved in the court and the matter is pending disposal,” government counsel Rajeev Sharma told the media.
The accused in the case include Sangeet Som, MLA from Sardhana (Meerut); Cabinet Minister Suresh Rana, MLA from Thana Bhawan (Shamli); and Kapil Dev, who represents the Muzaffarnagar Sadar seat in the Assembly; apart from Hindutva leader Sadhvi Prachi.
The leaders had allegedly made inflammatory speeches at a ‘Mahapanchayat’ at Nagla Mandor village, organized by members of the Jat community to discuss the issue of two Hindu men having been lynched by a Muslim mob soon after they had killed a Muslim youth.
Their speeches reportedly aided the eventual violence in the district in September 2013.
More than 60 people were killed and over 40,000 rendered homeless in the riots which occurred during the Samajwadi Party government.
In addition to the speeches, the leaders were also accused of violating prohibitory orders to hold a Mahapanchayat without obtaining permission from the district administration.