The Muzaffarnagar riots are apparently turning into a political goldmine for the BJP while the Samajwadi Party is using the same issue to fiercely protect its Muslim vote base in the state.
The BJP is ready to “battle it out” on the issue of riots and BJP MLA Hukum Singh, in his speech in the state Assembly on Wednesday, stuck to just one point — that action in the riots had been focused only on Hindus while members of the other community were allowed to go scot free.
The sting operation aired on a leading TV channel on Tuesday night has added to the BJP’s ammunition. It showed cops saying that they had been asked to “let go” the members of the minority community.
For the BJP, the riots are just what the doctor ordered — with or without a dose of the Modi potion.
A senior BJP MLA said on Wednesday: “Who needs Modi here when the Akhilesh government is giving us an opportunity to polarise Hindu votes in our favour? Hindus have been attacked by rioters as well as the government and it is the BJP alone that is standing up for them. Obviously , we will get their support in return.”
For the Samajwadi Party, the challenge is bigger but the ruling party is doing its best to keep the minorities in good humour.
The task is also easier for the Samajwadis since they are presently in power and can overdraw from the state exchequer to help rehabilitate the riot victims since most of them belong to the minority community.
A government job for a family, free treatment, adequate monetary compensation and funds to rebuild homes have already been earmarked for the riot victims and if sources are to be believed, more is on the way.
A senior SP minister admitted that their biggest challenge begins after the riots. “We have to show the minorities that because we are in power we have ensured that they are not being targeted by the police. The sting operation may have given ammunition to BJP but it has also substantiated our pro-minority role in the incidents.”
However, as things stand today, the Samajwadi Party has been facing maximum flak from Muslims and the Akhilesh Yadav government, in particular, is being scorned for its failure to control the situation.
If the SP leadership fails to assuage the feelings of the minorities in time, it could end up as the biggest loser in the riots.
For the Congress and the BSP, the situation is still somewhat perplexing. The two parties have not gone beyond making customary demands like dismissal of the government and/or the resignation of the chief minister.
The parties are unable to decide the stand they should take. The traditional Dalit vote base of the BSP is essentially Hindu and they cannot afford to be seen as pro-minority at the cost of Dalits — known as Jatavs in western UP. The BSP, nevertheless, is using the situation to mount a scathing attack on the Samajwadi government
The Congress, driven by its image of a broad based party — has also not taken sides as yet and it not even keen to attack the Akhilesh Yadav government beyond a point.