New Delhi, Jan. 30 (TNS): In a stinging post on his Facebook page following the communal violence in UP’s Kasganj, Bareilly district magistrate Raghvendra Vikram Singh has asked why it has become a “trend” for some to first “enter Muslim localities by force, raise anti-Pakistan slogans and then create ruckus”.
Singh, who told Indian media that he is hurt and angry at what is happening “in the name of nationalism”, put up two posts on Facebook following the clashes in Kasganj that has left one dead, another seriously injured and dozens of houses, shops and vehicles gutted.
In one of the posts, the DM writes: Ajab rivaz ban gaya hai. Muslim mohallo me jabrdasti julus le jao aur Pakistan murdabad ke nare lagao. Kyon bhai, ve Pakistani hain kya? Yehi yahan Bareilly mein Khailam mein hua tha. Fir patharav hua, mukadme likhe gaye… (A very strange trend has started of late. Take out processions by force through Muslim dominated localities and raise anti-Pakistan slogans. Why? Are these people Pakistani?
The same thing had happened in Khailam village of Bareilly. Then stones were pelted, FIRs lodged).”
During the kanwar yatra last year in July, 15 ITBP jawans and two dozen kanwariyas were injured after the latter insisted on taking their procession through Khailam, an area with substantial Muslim population. Soon there were clashes between the two groups and close to 250 Muslims were booked after the incident.
In another post, Singh asked why slogans were never raised against China, “a bigger enemy”. Cheen to bada dushman hai, tiranga lekar Cheen murdabad kyon nahin? (China is a bigger enemy to us. Why isn’t the tricolour being waved and anti-China slogans shouted)?”
