The recent communal turmoil in Uttar Pradesh may have been politically motivated

Yogi Adityanath-ruled Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a political row over another possible use of bulldozers, a month before the by-elections for nine Assembly seats in the state on November 13.

On October 13, communal clashes in Maharajganj area of ​​Bahraich district left one person, identified as Ram Gopal Mishra, dead and several others injured. Police arrested over 80 accused, mostly Muslims, and several young men were reported to have fled the area for fear of police action.

The accused were booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita including 121 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt with intent to discourage a public servant from discharge of duty), 132 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 309 (robbery) and 191 (every member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offense committed in furtherance of the common good).

However, opposition leaders have condemned the riots as “pre-planned”, saying the BJP is deliberately engineering communal tensions to influence the upcoming November elections.

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Immediately after the violence, the Public Works Department (PWD) declared the Kundasar-Mahasi-Nanpara road – the main site of the riots – as a district main road. Between October 17 and 23, notices were sent to 23 owners of houses and shops in the area, including as many as 20 to the Muslim community.

The notices ordered the removal of illegal structures within three days, citing regulations that prohibit construction within 60 feet of the center of a road without prior approval. Though three days’ time was given in the PWD notices, the affected families received relief from the Allahabad High Court.

Meanwhile, the Adityanath government’s actions are seen as part of its broader policy, in which bulldozers symbolize its social aggression. Ever since Adityanath became the chief minister, the state has been witnessing liberal use of police encounters and demolition drives against alleged criminals from the Muslim community. It is no wonder that in the run-up to the 2022 State Assembly elections, bulldozers have become the driving force of his election campaign.

However, the dispute over the deliberate use of bulldozers in Bahraich took an intriguing turn after a BJP MLA filed an FIR against members of his own party, accusing them of inciting communal violence during the immersion of idol Durga on October 13.

This unprecedented move ahead of the Assembly by-elections has put the ruling party under the microscope. Javed Ali Khan, Rajya Sabha MP from the Samajwadi Party (SP), slammed the state government for the public agitation. “Since the bypasses are just around the corner, the ruling party is completely relying on Hindu-Muslim polarization. The BJP-led state government has completely abdicated its responsibilities,” Khan said Frontlineadding that “Riots are always planned and organized. “In Bahraich too, rioters were deployed while the local population behaved very responsibly.”

Residents of the area vacated their shops after the Department of Public Works posted notices on several properties asking them to remove all illegal structures and warning of activities in the violence-hit Maharajganj area in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, October 19, 2024 | Photo source: PTI

Khan was referring to a viral video in which two accused persons, Prem Kumar Mishra and Saburi Mishra, allegedly claimed that the Bahrai violence was “sponsored”. They admitted that they took part in it. Both were later arrested. Earlier, Bahraich Superintendent of Police Vrinda Shukla had termed the claims made in the video clip as “wandering of drunken men”.

“Shame on the politics of the BJP and its hunger for power,” Akhilesh Yadav, SP supremo and former prime minister, said in a video on social media, accusing the ruling party of conspiring to incite the riots. “BJP has lost face with the new revelations,” he said, referring to BJP MLA Sureshwar Singh’s FIR.

Singh’s FIR coincidentally names BJP workers including Aarpit Srivastava, president of the BJP youth wing, Anuj Singh Raikwar and Shubham Mishra. The FIR accuses them of acts of violence such as rioting, stone pelting and attempted murder. It details the violent protests around the late Ram Gopal Mishra, during which Singh and his associates were reportedly attacked with stones and faced gunfire.

The role of electronic media

On October 23, Singh clarified his position at a press conference held at his residence. “It was only after registering the case that I came to know that Arpit Srivastava is the president of the city BJP youth wing. Besides, I don’t think anyone from the BJP is involved in this,” he said. “I explained that filing a case does not mean someone has admitted guilt. There are CCTV cameras at the scene of the incident. “Investigators will review the footage and appropriate action will be taken against anyone found guilty, including those who fired or threw stones.”

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It is worth noting that the role of electronic media in adding fuel to the common fire was also examined. Several TV channels and media outlets claimed that Ram Gopal Mishra was allegedly brutalized before his death, citing an alleged post-mortem report. The police rejected such claims. Without commenting on media reports, Bahraich police wrote on social media that the misleading claims were intended to disturb social harmony.

On October 21, the Allahabad High Court granted relief to those ordered to demolish alleged illegal structures by extending the deadline for filing responses by 15 days. The decision followed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Civil Rights Protection Association, represented by its vice-president at UP East, Sayed Mehfuzur Rehman. The petition challenges notices issued in Mahsi area of ​​Bahraich district, where recent violence took place amid claims that the UP government intends to demolish properties belonging to those allegedly involved in the riots. The case is scheduled for the next hearing on November 4.

On October 22, the Supreme Court indirectly warned the Adityanath government against potential bulldozer activities. The Court emphasized that the risk of violating its directives was a “choice” of the state government. However, the court clarified that it would not intervene if the structures in question were deemed illegal.

Earlier on October 1, the Supreme Court reserved judgment on petitions challenging house demolition as a punitive measure, a practice commonly referred to as “bulldozer justice.” A division bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan clarified that demolition cannot be undertaken merely because a person is an accused or convicted criminal. During the hearings, the bench discussed guidelines aimed at preventing misapplication of local demolition laws by ensuring due process is followed. They have announced plans to issue ‘pan-India guidelines’ that will apply equally to all communities.

“Recently, the higher judiciary has sent a positive signal. We hope this will discourage the BJP from adopting the ‘bulldozer’ policy in the coming days,” Javed Ali Khan said.