The communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas have claimed 47 lives and displaced over 40,000 people.
Meanwhile, under attack after two police officers reportedly admitted in a TV string operation having delayed action to contain Muzaffarnagar riots under “political pressure”, Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan said he has nothing to do with it and that he didn't want to give any clarification.
“The news channel which has aired the sting operation should itself conduct a probe into it....All my phone numbers including that of my residence and office should be scanned....And if I am found guilty, the channel should tell the punishment for me...I will accept the harshest of punishments, if found guilty....I am not that type of a person,” Khan told reporters in Lucknow.
In Ghaziabad, the UP police detained Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari to prevent him from visiting Muzaffarnagar even as he asked SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to sack Azam Khan from the party alleging he had “nothing to do with the people.”
“Muslims hate the SP leader and don't like him,” he alleged.
“Khan does not have the support of even four Muslims in the state...He is responsible for Muzaffarnagar violence,” Bukhari told reporters here and demanded that the UP Minister should be sacked from SP.
Accusing Khan of playing vote bank politics with the Muslims, Bukhari said that the Minister was looking after more than ten government departments, but he “has not benefited the Muslim community so far.”