Bulandshahr Violence: My government should be 'thanked, praised', says Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday termed the Bulandshahr violence earlier this month a "political conspiracy", and said his government should be “thanked and praised” for its action following the clashes. "Those who wanted to create anarchy... the intentions of those who instigated riots after cow slaughter have been foiled," Adityanath told reporters after the Assembly was adjourned for the day amid opposition ruckus.

The chief minister added the state government made sure law and order prevailed in its aftermath, and that anybody “who is raising fingers at the government should, thank and applaud it.”

The day's proceedings in both the Houses of the state legislature were marred by continued uproar and sloganeering by the opposition Samajwadi Party and the Congress over various issues, including the plight of farmers and the law and order in the state, including the recent Bulandshahr violence.

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He said the state government will maintain rule of law at all cost. "Those who are cowards and not in a position to face a direct fight...they are embracing each other seeing that their political ground is receding...the state government will not allow any such conspiracy and will deal with it sternly," the chief minister said.

Adityanath had earlier termed the Bulandshahr violence an accident. Wednesday was the second day of the brief Winter Session of the state legislature spread over four sittings.

Five persons have been arrested on Tuesday for their alleged roles in the mob violence and the cow slaughtering cases in Bulandshahr that had claimed two lives, including that of an on-duty inspector and a civilian, officials said.

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 Three of them have been arrested by the Bulandshahr police for their involvement in the cow slaughtering case, while two accused were nabbed by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) for the subsequent violence on December 3, the officials said.

Police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and civilian Sumit Kumar, 20, were killed of bullet shots during the mob violence on December 3.

One of the main suspects among the 27 named in the FIR, local Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj, is still absconding, while an Army jawan, Jitendra Malik, has been arrested and remanded in custody.

(With PTI inputs)