Dadri killing: Cases filed against Mahesh Sharma, Sangeet Som over inflammatory remarks

The police has filed a case against Union Minister Mahesh Sharma, BJP leader Sangeet Som and and BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiquifor inflammatory remarks over the Dadri killing. Mohammad Akhlaq, a Dadri local was killed by a mob of over 200 over rumours of consuming beef. 

Union Minister Mahesh Sharma on Thursday had described the lynching of a 50-year-old man in Dadri by a mob, allegedly over consumption of beef, as an "accident" and said that no "communal colour" should be given to it, even as the family of the victim is planning to move out of the village fearing that it may happen again.

"This (incident) should be considered as an accident without giving any communal colour to it," Sharma, Minister of State for Tourism and BJP MP from Noida, said.

Stirring the political cauldron, controversial BJP MLA Sangeet Som on Sunday visited Dadri and had attacked Samajwadi Party government, alleging it was appeasing the minority community and innocent people were being framed for lynching of a man over beef eating rumour.

Som, who was accused of making inflammatory speeches during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots, alleged that state government was acting in a biased manner like it did during violence in western Uttar Pradesh two years ago and was shielding those who had "slaughtered cow".

"Like they had taken the accused in Muzaffarnagar riots in a plane, they have taken those who have slaughtered cow in a plane. Even when a person is killed, they have different set of rules. Sanjay Rahul Yadav was shot in the incident, but is anyone aware. Did the government help him," Som told reporters as the victim Ikhlaq's family met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Sunday.

The UP lawmaker's remarks came even as BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the incident should not be given communal colour or politicised. Som questioned why the state government had allowed AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi to visit the village and spread "communal frenzy".

"A person like Owaisi was allowed to come here from Hyderabad. Is the Samajwadi Party government colluding with him? A person from Hyderabad comes and is able to make such statements. Is it not the weakness of the government? This government is trying to appease a particular community," the MLA said.

Questioning the arrests in the lynching case, he said, "We don't want that those guilty of murder should not be tried but the government should stop framing the innocent.

With agency inputs