Tension rising in Moradabad with BJP protesting against SSP; Section 144 imposed till Aug 4

Updated: Saturday, July 26, 2014, 11:43 [IST]

Tension in Moradabad; Curfew imposed — Photo: Twitter

Lucknow, July 26: The situation continues to be rocky in Lucknow's Moradabad district even today as BJP leaders led by MLA Sangeet Som have planned to come here to protest against Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dharamvir, for holding BJP responsible for the communal tension in Kanth.

Lucknow : Principle Secretary(home) Rakesh Bahadur calls meeting of officials on Moradabad and Saharanpur issues
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2014

BJP leaders and workers sit outside Moradabad DMs residence as a mark of protest pic.twitter.com/4Bhsh4hxHZ
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2014

We are protesting against the Moradabad SSP,the way our workers were treated-Laxmikant Bajpai,BJP pic.twitter.com/HS2lmpGJwS
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2014

Ghaziabad : Police stop Congress leaders going to Moradabad at UP gate pic.twitter.com/6z88DSEecN
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2014

Som clarified to the media that the BJP is protesting against teh SSP as he is "acting like a mouthpiece of the SP government". Meanwhile, heavy security has been put in place to stop the BJP workers from enter the vicinity. In fact, live reports show that police barricades have been installed at the Delhi, UP border so that the workers cannot enter the state.

Deepak Agarwal, the district magistrate has imposed Section 144 in Kanth area of Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh till August 4.

In the mean time, BJP state President Laxmi Kant Bajpai has justified the peace march saying that the party has every constitutional right to raise voice against the district administration. Planning to hold a peace march themselves at a smaller scale, Congress workers said that it is the preoperative of the Center and state government to maintain law and order situation.

People who will take law in their hands will be dealt with strongly-Rajendra Chaudhary,SP on Moradabad issue pic.twitter.com/8t7fCKxk2C
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2014

Jaise ki aap jaante hain ki Sangeet Som police ke rokne se rukne waala nahi hai-Sangeet Som,BJP on going to Moradabad to protest against SSP
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2014

Trouble arose on July 4 in Kanth over the installation of loudspeakers at a temple leading to violent clashes, which also injured the district magistrate. The temple is situated in a Muslim-dominated area of the district and a section of villagers protested the installation of the loudspeaker. Following their demands, the instrument was taken down by the authorites, which inferiorated the Jatav community who owned the temple.

According to them, the loudspeaker was there for the past 15 years and that it was just being replaced and that there were no other additions to it. They further asserted that they were being discriminated against.

To add icing to the cake, BJP leader Sadhvi Prachi was obstructed midway of Bijnor where she was supposed to take part in Vishwa Hindutva Parishad's proposed ‘Jalabhishek march' on Friday. The VHP has demanded re-installation of loudspeakers so that they can perform puja at the temple.

Uttar Pradesh : Security tightened in Moradabad pic.twitter.com/UD89Ax25q4
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2014

We are going to Moradabad to calm the situation unlike BJP which is going to spread hate-Madhusudan Mistry,Congress pic.twitter.com/ueJVLBrsQi
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2014