BJP accuses SP of trying to communalise Ghaziabad incident to win 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls

Weighing in on the progress in the probe into the Ghaziabad incident, BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Minister Sidharth Nath Singh lashed out at Samajwadi Party. This comes days after SP leader Ummed Pahalwan Idrisi was slapped with an FIR after he appeared in a Facebook Live alongside Abdul Samad Saifi who claimed that he was assaulted, his beard was forcibly cut and asked to chant slogans of Jai Shri Ram on June 6. Addressing the media on Thursday, Singh alleged that the Akhilesh Yadav-led party was trying to create communal tension to win the 2022 Uttar Pradesh election. 

Asserting that BJP won't let this happen, he recalled that some political parties similarly used social media websites to further their personal interests during the anti-CAA protests. In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, BJP won a whopping 312 seats in the 403-member House whereas the SP-Congress alliance failed to bear fruit as it could bag only 54 seats. SP is looking to make a comeback buoyed by its stellar performance in the recently held Panchayat election. 

The Ghaziabad video controversy

Ruling out a communal angle, Ghaziabad (Rural) SP Iraj Raja stated that the victim not only knew his attackers but also made amulets for them. He added that the accused reacted in such a manner after the amulets did not give positive results as promised by Abdul Samad Saifi. So far, 5 persons- Parvesh, Kullu, Aadil, Intezaar and Saddam alias Bauna have been arrested in connection with this case.

As per the FIR dated June 16, Irdisi has been accused of giving a communal spin to the Ghaziabad incident. The SP leader was charged under Section 67 of the IT Act (Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) and Sections 153-A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion), 295-A (deliberate act to outrage religious feelings), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code. This case was registered at the Loni Border Police Station in Ghaziabad. 

In the FIR, the police stated, “The accused made an unnecessary video with the complainant and, without verifying the facts of the case, carried out religious discussions on his Facebook, which spread animosity in the community. The accused attempted to give the incident a communal colour and disturb the societal balance. This act hurt religious sentiments. The particular act presented a threat to law and order and tried to divide between Hindus and Muslim community.”