Senior Congress leader and former Madya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government for the Khargone violence saying that communal tension is the biggest weapon of the party.
Addressing the media, Singh questioned the ruling party and said, "Pandit Dwarka Pd Mishra used to tell me riots cannot take place as long as the Chief Minister does not want it. I became CM after the Babri Masjid demolition. Why did no riots break out until 2003? Because I arrested those who tried to incite communal tensions."
Calling the incident a failure of administration, the former CM said, "What is happening today is a failure of the administration. Communal tension is the biggest weapon of the BJP government. They make political use of it to create divides between Hindus and Muslims."
"It should be investigated where the stones came from? Who pelted it? Why was the route changed? Stone pelting at five places at the same time should all be investigated," Singh further said.
The Congress leader also alleged that BJP leader Kapil Mishra was present in Khargone's Bhikangaon, and had given a provocative speech.
"I talked about religious harmony all my life. I had made rules during my tenure as the Chief Minister. The incidents of religious frenzy in the country on Ram Navami are sponsored," he said while adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent on the issue.
Notably, Madhya Pradesh Police on Tuesday registered an FIR against Digvijaya Singh for allegedly conspiring to instigate communal violence by posting misleading tweets.
The FIR was filed based on the complaint of one Prakash Mande, a resident of Bhopal. The case was registered under sections 153A, 295A, 465, 505 (2) of IPC. Mande complained that Singh posted a fabricated photo that might instigate communal violence.
After the violence in Raisen and Khargone in Madhya Pradesh, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has taken strict action against the people involved in the violence and the local district administration got into action mode.
As many as four houses and three shops near Mohan Talkies, 12 houses and 10 shops in Khaskhas Badi area, three shops in Aurangpura area and 12 shops in Talaab Chowk were demolished. Approximately 16 illegal sites were demolished near Ganesh Temple in Khargone.
The incident took place on Sunday when several people, including police personnel, were injured when groups of people pelted stones at each other during a Ram Navami procession. The stone-pelting started at the very beginning of the procession leaving around four people injured including a police inspector, police said.
After the miscreants set four houses on fire, the administration imposed a curfew in Talab Chowk, Gaushala Marg, and Motipura areas.
( With inputs from ANI )
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