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Bulandshahr: Yogi Adityanath Wants Action Against 'Cow Slaughter' But Silent On Cop's Killers

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister ordered a thorough probe and issued orders for strict action against those involved in the alleged cow slaughter.
A file photo of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A file photo of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Amid a political furore over the killing of a police inspector and a civilian in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr during mob violence over alleged cow slaughter, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a thorough probe and issued directions for strict action against those involved in the alleged cow slaughter, said news reports.

It is, however, not clear whether any decision was taken to act against those involved in the instigating the violence and killing Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh.

On Tuesday night, Adityanath held a meeting in Lucknow where he met the chief secretary, DGP, principal secretary (home) and additional director general of police (intelligence).

After the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Avinish Awasthi said, "The incident is part of a bigger conspiracy, and hence all those directly or indirectly related to cow slaughter should be arrested in a time-bound manner."

Inspector Singh and 20-year-old Sumit Kumar were killed in the violence when the mob set fire to dozens of vehicles, hurled stones and also fired guns at police who retaliated with gunfire.

Local Muslim leaders have alleged that the violence over the cow slaughter was a "pre-planned conspiracy" to target Muslims returning from the Tablighi Ijtema, a three-day Islamic congregation.

Adityanath announced Rs 10 lakh financial assistance to the family members of Kumar from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Awasthi said.

The chief minister had earlier announced a financial assistance of Rs 40 lakh to the wife of Inspector Singh and Rs 10 lakh to his parents

Demanding "martyr" status for the slain inspector, who was one of those who probed the 2015 lynching of Mohammed Akhlaq, his sister alleged his killing was a conspiracy of the police.

"The cow is our mother, I accept it. My brother has given his life for her. The Chief Minister used to chant 'gau.. gau.. gau'.. Why can't he come for 'gau raksha'," Sunita Singh was quoted as saying by PTI.

Focus on alleged cow slaughter

Adityanath's meeting reportedly focused on taking action against those involved in the alleged cow-slaughter.

Awasthi said that since 19 March 2017, all illegal slaughter houses had been closed and instructions were issued to all district magistrates and superintendents of police to ensure that such activities do not take place in any of the districts.

Instructions were also issued that a campaign be run to identify those persons who are vitiating the atmosphere and stringent action initiated against them, he said.

Meanwhile, The Indian Express reported that BJP legislators will meet Adityanath on Thursday to inform him about some "facts" and complaints of illegal cow-slaughter. BJP district president Himanshu Mittal was quoted as saying in the report that cow slaughter had increased during Ijtema.

The Chief Minister has been facing flak from the Opposition, which has said that such incidents are part of attempts to incite communal unrest in the society ahead of polls.

Political reactions

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the violence asking if "this was the change" he had promised the country. He also demanded an inquiry into the incident.

The CPI-M blamed Adityanath's "communally provocative speeches" for the Bulandshahr violence and alleged that it has been "planned" in view of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati blamed the "irresponsible and wrong" policies of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh for the violence.

The Opposition has also attacked the Chief Minister, saying he was "enjoying" a laser show and presenting kabaddi prizes in Gorakhpur when Bulandshahr was rocked by violence.

The Samajwadi Party and Congress slammed him for attending the events rather than promptly taking stock of the situation.

(With PTI inputs)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.