Kairana 'migration': BJP in war of words with SP, to send team

A war of words broke out today over alleged migration of Hindus from Kairana in UP with BJP saying it is not good for democracy and that a party team will be sent to probe the “sensitive” issue, prompting Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to accuse the saffron leaders of resorting to lies.

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 comes,” 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 party.

“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.

“A house to house search shows the lie of BJP,” he said, adding that in fact BJP does not have any issue like development and would only tout digital India whereas the state has made tremendous progress under the SP-led government like distribution of laptops, construction of roads and bridges and providing power for long hours.

Taking a dig at the BJP, which is seeking to wrest power from the SP in the state, Yadav said he would like to see “better” work from the BJP.

“I want them to show some work. They should come and say that they distributed laptops to the people and not only talk about digital India,” he added.

Shah, in his address to the National Executive yesterday, had said, “The migration happening in Kairana due to violence is a matter of serious concern. There is an atmosphere of violence. The lack of development and the lack of governance in the largest state of India, that is Uttar Pradesh, is becoming a matter of serious concern.”