'Harassing a community': Congress' Ajay Rai attacks UP govt over Bahraich violence

Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 14 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Ajay Rai on Monday hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government over the violence that broke out between two communities, killing one, in Bahraich during Goddess Durga idol immersion.
Ajay Rai accused the Uttar Pradesh government of 'harassing' a community.
"The entire government has failed; the government should immediately stop the arson that happened there. A community is being harassed there. Only a show is being made there, in reality, nothing (action) is being done," Ajay Rai told ANI.
On Sunday, one person was killed while several others were injured after a clash broke out between two communities during the Durga idol immersion procession in the Mahasi area in Bahraich.
The incident has sparked a major political storm in Uttar Pradesh, prompting the opposition parties to criticise the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Expressing his concern about the incident, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MP ET Muhammed Basheer stated that such situations are arising due to the 'wrongdoings' of the Uttar Pradesh government.
Speaking to ANI, Basheer said, "I feel extremely sorry to hear about this...tension still prevails...lawlessness is prevailing there (UP). The main reason is that the government is miserably failing in controlling this kind of thing. On the other hand, because of the wrongdoings of the government, such situations are arising."

"Every day we get sad stories from UP. The government approach is really instrumental in creating this kind of mistrust between communities. Let a very comprehensive inquiry take place and the culprits should be brought before the law. The government should control these types of things or else they are encouraging such incidents," he added.
Bahraich Superintendent of Police (SP), Vrinda Shukla, said, "In Mahasi's Maharajganj area, a procession was passing by a mosque through a Muslim area. The groups argued on some issues. A person from the Hindu community died after bullets were fired on him and thereafter a tense situation arose."
Following the killing, a protest erupted in the Bahraich. Police resorted to tear gas and lathi charges to disperse people who were protesting.
According to police, 30 people have been taken into custody in connection with the incident that took place in the Mahasi area of Bahraich and a hunt has been launched for the main accused. (ANI)