Dadri lynching: BJP accuses Akhilesh Yadav of giving 'communal' colour to incident

Dadri/Lucknow: Political sparring over the Dadri lynching got shriller on Sunday with controversial BJP MLA Sangeet Som, accused of making inflammatory speeches during 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, alleging that the SP government was appeasing Muslims and innocent people were being framed.

On a day when Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav met in Lucknow the family of 50-year-old Ikhlaq, who was lynched over beef eating rumours, assuring them of justice, Som visited Dadri where he attacked SP government alleging that it was shielding those who had "slaughtered cow".

Accusing Akhilesh of shedding "crocodile tears" over the incident, BJP alleged that he was giving "communal" colour to it.

After meeting victim Ikhlaq's family, Akhilesh announced raising the financial assistance to the family to Rs 30 lakh from Rs 20 lakh along with Rs five lakh each to his three brothers.

Stirring the political cauldron, Som said, "Like they (SP) had taken the accused in Muzaffarnagar riots in a plane, they have taken those who have slaughtered cow in a plane."

The UP lawmaker's remarks came even as BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the incident should not be given communal colour or politicised.

"It was an unfortunate incident. But it is not proper to give communal colour to it," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Delhi.

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Iqlakh was dragged out of his home by a 200-strong mob and beaten to death after a public announcement from the local temple that the family had slaughtered a calf and eaten its meat on Monday night in Bishada village.

Meanwhile, police, which has arrested eight persons, detained a Home Guard for questioning after the local temple priest alleged that he forced him to make the announcement.

Police had on Saturday arrested two persons -- Vishal and Shivam. One of them was reported to be the son of a local BJP leader. However, BJP leader Harish Thakur denied that the father of the accused was a BJP office bearer and said he may be a BJP supporter.