After Sonia Gandhi, Mulayam Singh accuses BJP of fuelling communal tensions

New Delhi, Aug 14: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, whose party is in power in Uttar Pradesh, today accused BJP of fuelling communal tension in the state, even as he sought to downplay recent incidents of violence claiming that they were inter-community disputes and not riots.

"They are responsible or are behind these communal riots... They had created this communal riots," he said referring to the treasury benches while participating in a discussion on communal violence. His comment triggered strong protest from BJP and its allies, who were on their feet. Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai pleaded with the members not to "shout" in the middle of a speech and if they have objection they should raise it later.

"Muzaffarnagar was not a communal riot. It was a dispute between two communities. It was a struggle between a caste and a community and people were murdered.

"Same thing happened in Saharanpur. There was a dispute over a land whether Gurudwara and Mosque was to be built. It was a dispute between two communities and people were killed," he said.

He said within two days situation was brought under control and in no other state, situation could be contained in such short time. Last month violent clashes broke out between two communities over a land dispute in Saharanpur. Violence too had erupted last year in Muzaffarnagar after killing of three youths.

"Communalism is dangerous for the country. On small matters communal flares blow up... We have been victims of communalism," Yadav said. He said there are two reasons for rise in communal tension in the country -- mutual distrust and minorities not getting enough facilities. There was loss of harmony in the country, he said, while demanding setting up of a committee to look into the incidence of violence.

PTI