Some Muslim families have moved out of Kairana: Balyan

New Delhi, Jun 20: Some Muslim families besides those of Hindus have moved out of Kairana area in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district due to law and order problem, Union minister Sanjeev Balyan claimed today.

"First of all, I have not visited Kairana. Secondly, you all must have seen that there is law order issue in the state. It is better to look at it from that angle. As per my information, it is not only Hindus, there has been some migration of Muslims also," he told reporters here.

Balyan, BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Muzaffarnagar, said the "migration problem" was not only restricted to Kairana area in the state, adding that it was wrong to paint the whole issue with a "communal" brush.

"It is a law and order issue and the problem should not be connected with communalism," he said. He said that his comments were based on the information provided by a BJP team that was went to assess the situation in Kairana.

"I have spoken with them (the team) and also to a Member of Parliament from that place. They say migration was happening mainly due to law and order issue," he said. The Assembly polls in UP are scheduled for next year. Last week, the state BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya had met Governor Ram Naik with the demand for a CBI probe into the "exodus" while presenting the report of a five-member party team that visited Kairana for an on-the-spot assessment.

The ruling Samajwadi Party and Congress have rubbished the reports and alleged that the atmosphere was being vitiated by BJP. BJP MLA Sangeet Som had on Friday given a 15-day ultimatum to the state government to bring back those who have allegedly moved out of Kairana.

PTI