Yogi Adityanath says Hindus 'massacred' in Sambhal, claims it's a fight between 'desi' and 'videshi' Muslims

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday claimed that Sambhal, which witnessed large scale violence during a court mandated survey of a Mosque a few days back in which four people were killed, had a long history of communal riots since independence and that 209 Hindus had been killed in incidents of communal riots in Sambhal since 1947.

Speaking in the UP assembly on the first day of the winter session, Adityanath also said that the Mosque, which was surveyed, was built after demolishing a Hindu temple and that the Muslim dominated town was witnessing a fight between ‘desi’ (Indian) and ‘videshi’ (foreigner) Muslims.

The saffron clad chief minister lashed out at the opposition for not speaking a ‘’word’’ on the killing of the Hindus. ‘’Those who are now shedding crocodile tears over the death of four people in Sambhal, never spoke anything about the killings of the Hindus there,’’, he added.

‘’The history of communal riots in Sambhal begins in 1947....communal violence took place there at regular intervals and Hindus were killed in the riots,’’ he added.

Adityanath cited the killing of a member of the ‘Vaisya’ (businessman) community in Sambhal during one such communal riot and said that his hands were chopped off saying that he would take interest on the loans with those hands.

The chief minister claimed that the Mosque, which was surveyed, had been built after demolishing the Harihar Temple. ‘’Even the Babarnama (book by Mughal emperor Babar) says so,’’ he remarked.

Adityanath also referred to the discovery of an ‘ancient’ temple in Sambhal a few days back in a Muslim dominated locality and said that it was not allowed to be opened for such a long period.

Citing BJP’s victory in the Muslim dominated Kundarki assembly seat in the recently held by-polls, Adityanath said that a fight was now on between the ‘desi’ and ‘videshi’ Muslims. ‘’Those who had converted now say that their ancestors were Hindus,’’ he added.

Adityanath also said that chanting ‘Jai Shriram’ was not ‘communal’.

He also defended the remarks of the Allahabad HC judge Shekhar Yadav, who openly advocated for a common civil code, and said that the opposition gave impeachment notice to him for saying so.

‘’Why is it that the processions of Muslims during their festivals pass peacefully through Hindu areas but not the vice-versa?,’’ he said.

Earlier the opposition leaders accused the BJP government of trying to incite communal violence in the state for gaining political mileage. The House had to be adjourned briefly after the Samajwadi Party (SP) members created a ruckus over alleged poor law and order situation, Sambhal violence and issues concerning the farmers.