Days after Bareilly’s District Magistrate Raghavendra Vikkram Singh made an observation on Facebook about a “trend of mobs entering Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods and raising anti-Pakistan slogans,” The Indian Express reported that the district magistrate was summoned to Lucknow for the same.
Singh also wrote a post apologising for causing pain to anyone. He, however, said that he’s saddened because he hoped for an “academic discussion but unfortunately it took a different turn.”
The Indian Express added that the Yogi Adityanath-led government also promised strict action against Singh. Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said Singh was talking in the “language of politicians.”
The original Facebook post that landed Singh in the UP government’s crosshairs came two days after violent communal clashes were reported in Kasganj on 26 January. The clashes left one person dead.
In the post, he alleged that it had become something of a “trend” for people to enter Muslim-dominated localities and raise slogans against Pakistan.
In the Facebook post on 28 January, he wrote: “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 Khelam mein hua tha. Fir patharav hua, mukadme likhe gaye (It has become a trend these days for people to barge into Muslim-dominated areas and then raise anti-Pakistan slogans. Why? Are they Pakistanis? A similar incident happened in Khelam village of Bareilly. There was stone-pelting and then FIRs were lodged).”
Hours after writing the post, which had garnered over 300 likes by then, Singh edited the post to say, “Aaj ka din hai mubarak! 26 Jan hmare itihas me do bar aai hai…1930 aur 1950 me. Today’s day is blessed. 26 January was celebrated twice in history — once is 1930 and then in 1950.”
In another Facebook post, Singh had also asked why slogans were seldom raised against China.
The DM told the The Times of India on 29 January that he was saddened and angered by the incidents that were playing out "in the name of nationalism".
When asked to comment about Sunil Kumar Singh, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Kasganj, being transferred by the Yogi Adityanath government following the riots, Singh told Hindustan Times: “It was a small incident, but see how big its implications were. These incidents affect the ongoing developmental work.” Uttar Pradesh’s Finance Minister and Bareilly City MLA Rajesh Agarwal told the daily: "Considering he is a former Army officer, I can say he will never say anything against our country or in favour of Pakistan.”
Bareilly DM Both Pilloried and Praised
Sections of social media criticised the DM for being ‘irresponsible’ and condoning ‘no go areas’.
While others commended him for calling out divisive tactics.
Kasganj Tense
As many as 112 people have been arrested since the communal clashes in Kasganj that broke out on Republic Day when a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ bike rally was taken out by the ABVP and other outfits. As the motorcade passed through Badu Nagar – a Muslim-dominated area – a heated argument erupted, which then led to stone pelting. The clashing groups resorted to firing, in which 22-year-old Chandan Gupta was killed, while another man named Noushad was injured.
As Kasganj attempted to limp back to normalcy on 29 January, prohibitory orders remained in place and security forces maintained a strict vigil to keep the situation under control. The UP police said drone cameras had been deployed for aerial surveillance.
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