The violence in Uttarakhand's Haldwani, which has left six dead and more than a hundred injured, including policemen, so far, has sparked off a bitter blame game, with BJP calling it a 'conspiracy' and demanding strict action against the guilty, while Shiv Sena pinned it on the saffron party's 'polarisation' tactics for electoral gains.
"The incident in Haldwani is a conspiracy. Bombs, country pistols, and other weapons were used, and government officials and police were attacked,” said BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harnath Yadav. “There should be an order to shoot rioters at sight... There is no need to be lenient with them." The Uttar Pradesh MP said the Uttarakhand government should "search every house", and take action against the perpetrators.
Violence broke out in Uttarakhand's Haldwani a day after the demolition of an allegedly illegally-built madrasa. SP (City) Harbans Singh told PTI that six “rioters” were killed. A curfew was declared in Haldwani soon after the clashes broke out. Over 1,000 police personnel have been deployed in the area.
BJP MP and former Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank condemned the attack on the police personnel. “As the CM (Pushkar Singh Dhami) has said, strict action will be taken against the culprits." He added that the anti-encroachment drives to remove illegal structures is not a new thing.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi blamed the violence on "polarisation" created by BJP. "When the intention is just polarisation, this is what happens... curfews are imposed, look at the incidents in Manipur. In every state, BJP has created a situation where it will benefit from polarisation. Their tried and tested model is to polarise people for votes," she said.
"I am hoping the Home Minister will take cognisance," Chaturvedi said, adding, "if the police have been attacked it is shameful, it shows how hooliganism is prevailing in BJP-ruled states."
Rajya Sabha MP Brij Lal termed the razing of the madrasa - after which the violence erupted - a just move. "Removing encroachment is right. Even on the mountains they have made 'mazars' (shrines)...," he said.
"Violence cannot be tolerated. Their ring leaders who planned it should be jailed under National Security Act and the Uttarakhand government will definitely do it. There is a conspiracy. It wouldn't have happened on its own."
BJP MP Ashok Bajpai called the incident unfortunate and a probable conspiracy.
"The incident is very unfortunate, it looks like a conspiracy because the encroachment was removed based on the order of the Supreme Court. Stone pelting, petrol bombs, and firing was done at a large scale. Police personnel have been hurt, strict action needs to be taken," he said.
He also alleged that the "opposition parties" were sheltering "anarchist" elements.
