BJP’s claim of no riots in Uttar Pradesh in 2 years a ‘farce’, says Mayawati

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s claim that the state has not seen a single riot in the past two years of the Bharatiya Janata Party government has failed to make an impression on Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati.

Mayawati on Thursday said the claim to have made Uttar Pradesh “riot-free” in the last two years is a “farce”. Writing on micro-blogging site Twitter, the BSP chief said the incidents of mob lynching in Uttar Pradesh have “brought bad name to the country”.

“BJP’s claim that UP remain riot-free in past 2 years is farce. During the period BJP leaders & ministers remain awfully busy in lifting of heinous cases against them. And what about mob lynching etc which brought bad name to the country and ultimately Hon court had to intervene,” she said.

Mayawati’s remark has come two days after Adityanath said under Uttar Pradesh’s law and order under the BJP government has become a model for the country as not one incident of rioting happened under his watch.

Adityanath hit out at the previous Uttar Pradesh governments under the BSP and its alliance partner the Samajwadi Party saying riots were frequent during past regimes.

Uttar Pradesh has not recorded major communal violence in the past two years. But cases of mob violence, including those involving right-wing outfits, have seen political battles between the parties.

In December last year, two people including a police officer were killed when a mob of around 400 clashed with the police. In yet another case in January last year, a 22-year-old man was shot dead during Tiranga Yatra in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj during a clash between two groups.