Greater Noida: Amid tensions prevailing in Dadri’s Bisahada village in Uttar Pradesh following a forensic report that said that the samples it received for testing were that of beef, a comment by a senior BJP functionary could potentially make matters worse.
Calling for “justice” for “the other side”, BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Sanjeev Balyan has said that it was “time to track down” the others who consumed the meat. The comments came in Muzaffarnagar where Balyan was addressing a Jan Darbar at his house on Saturday.
"Akhlaq couldn't have eaten the full cow all alone. The meat would have gone to 20 families there. It's time to track them down and ensure justice is done to the other side," Balyan was quoted as saying by the Economic Times.
The local administration in Gautam Buddha Nagar is on its toes as tensions prevail following a call for a ‘Mahapanchayat’ in the Bisahada village in Dadri following the latest forensic report.
The local administration, sensing the tense atmosphere, have imposed Section 144 the village. The administration and police in Gautam Budh Nagar district have also been put on high alert in view of the call for a mahapanchayat demanding an FIR against Mohammad Akhlaq's family.
Police have also called for additional deployment of security forces, as the situation continued to remain tense.
Residents of Bisahada village met the Gautam Budh Nagar SSP Dharmendra Yadav yesterday to press their demand for registration of an FIR against Akhlaq's family.
After the meeting with Yadav, Sanjay Rana, father of Vishal Rana, an accused in the 2015 lynching case threatened that a mahapanchayat would be held in the village on Monday as police have failed to register an FIR against Akhlaq's family.
"A complaint was filed with police after the forensic report said the meat in the freezer at Akhlaq's house was beef. No FIR has been filed yet in this regard," he said.
"The villagers have decided to hold a maha panchayat tomorrow as police have failed to register an FIR based on our complaint. Residents of Satha Chaurasi village will also attend it," he claimed.
He claimed that an eight-member delegation from the village had met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who assured he would speak to the Uttar Pradesh government in this regard.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had earlier this week questioned the authenticity of the forensic report and said "there was nothing objectionable in his house. Every eye is on this matter. Everyone wants that the victim's family should get justice as murder had taken place."
VHP leader Surindera Jain had yesterday visited the village and claimed that the accused had been falsely implicated.
VHP activists had also staged a protest at the Collectorate demanding that the FIR be registered against Akhlaq's family and the financial help given to them be withdrawn.
Local MP and Union Minister Mahesh Sharma on June 5 attacked Akhilesh Yadav for questioning the authenticity of the forensic report that said the meat found from Mohammad Akhlaq’s house was of “cow or its progeny”, saying if he does not believe his officers, then he should resign.
Akhlaq was lynched on September 28 last year on the charge that he and his family consumed cow's meat. A government forensic lab in Mathura said in its report released last week that the meat in question was of "cow or its progeny".
The report has revived the controversy over the legal and moral issues surrounding the lynching.
Meanwhile, some villagers and Hindu organisations are also demanding that the 17 accused in the killing of Akhlaq be now released.
An official, however, informed IANS that the accused would be produced before a fast-track court on Monday where charges would be fixed on them. A juvenile has already been granted bail by the high court.
The jawans of the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary have been patrolling the village since Sunday evening.
Security has been increased following announcement by some Hindu frontal organisations -- Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Rashtrawadi Pratap Sena, Goraksha Dal and Hindu Yuva Vahini -- that they will participate in the panchayat, said officials.
(With agencies)
