2013 Muzaffarnagar riots

The clashes between the Hindu and Muslim communities in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, India in August–September 2013, resulted in at least 62 deaths including 42 Muslims and 85 Hindus[3] and injured 93 and left more than 50,000 people displaced.[6][7][8][9] By date 17 September, the curfew was lifted from all riot affected areas and the army was also withdrawn.[10]

2013 Muzaffarnagar Riots
Part of Religious violence in India
Location of riots
Date27 August 2013 (2013-08-27) – 17 September 2013 (2013-09-17)
Location
29°28′20″N 77°42′32″E / 29.472332°N 77.708874°E / 29.472332; 77.708874
Caused byaltercation between Hindu (Jats) and Muslim at Kawal village on 27 August[1][2]
Violence and action
Death(s)62[3]
Injuries93[4]
Arrested1,000 booked[5]
Detained10,000[4]

The riot has been described as "the worst violence in Uttar Pradesh in recent history", with the army, as a result, being deployed in the state for the first time in last 20 years.[11] The Supreme Court of India, while hearing petitions in relation to the riots, held the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party prima facie guilty of negligence in preventing the violence and ordered it to immediately arrest all those accused irrespective of their political affiliation. The Court also blamed the Central government for its failure to provide intelligence inputs to the Samajwadi Party-governed state government in time to help sound alerts.[12] In 2021, a local court allowed the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government to withdraw a case of inciting violence against 12 BJP leaders involved in the riots.[13]

In 2022, BJP MLA Vikram Singh Saini along with 11 others were sentenced to two years imprisonment by a special court which convicted them of rioting and other offences.[14]

Initial clashes edit

On 21 August 2013, communal clashes were reported from Muzaffarnagar and police registered cases against 150 people and 14 persons were taken into custody. Clashes between two communities, Hindus and Muslims, in Shamli and Muzaffarnagar grew on 27 August 2013. The original cause of the rioting is disputed according to bipartisan claims largely concerning the affected communities.[15] In this case, the cause of this rioting alternates between a traffic accident and an eve-teasing incident. According to the first version, the cause was a minor traffic accident involving some youths which then spiralled out of control when it eventually took on religious overtones.[16] In the second version, a girl from the Hindu Jat community was allegedly harassed in an eve-teasing incident by one Muslim youth in Kawal village.[17][18] In retaliation, Hindu relatives of the girl in question, Sachin Singh and Gaurav Singh,[19][20] killed the youth named Shahnawaz Qureshi.[21] The two brothers were lynched by a Muslim mob when they tried to escape.[20] The police arrested eleven members of the girl's family for killing the Muslim youth.[18] According to Zee News report some locals, the police did not act against the killers of the Hindu brothers.[18] According to police records, Gaurav and Sachin picked a fight with Shahnawaz over a motorcycle accident. While it has been widely reported that the fight was sparked off when Shahnawaz harassed Gaurav and Sachin's cousin sister, the FIR in the murder makes no mention of sexual harassment or molestation.[16] According to the other version the girl who was allegedly harassed by Shahnawaz commented that she had not gone to Kawal or known anybody by name of Shahnawaz.[22] In the FIR registered for Shahnawaz's death, five people along with Sachin and Gaurav were named as responsible for his death. The reports mentions that the seven men entered Shahnawaz's home, took him out and killed him with swords and knives; he died on the way to the hospital.[22] In the FIR registers for Sachin and Gaurav's death, seven other men were reported to be responsible; that episode was sparked by an altercation after Mujassim and Gaurav were involved in a bike accident.[22]

After news of the killings spread, the members of both communities attacked each other. The police took possession of the three dead bodies, and temporarily brought the situation under control. The authorities also deployed Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel to Kawal.[23]

In September 2013, fresh riots sparked off and around 11 people including TV journalist Rajesh Verma were killed and more than 34 were injured after which indefinite curfew was clamped and the army deployed to help maintain law and order.[24]

Gathering of masses edit

The killing of the three youths in Kawal village started echoing across the district. On 30 August, two days after the incident, despite ban on assembly of crowd, Muslim religious leaders gathered after Friday prayers and local Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress leaders had hijacked the Muslim meeting demanding justice for the Kawal incident and made inflammatory speeches.[25][26] Also, local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders allegedly gave an incendiary speech instigating the Hindu farmers on 31 August. A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against all the leaders. After the meeting, the farmers were attacked and killed on their way home by mob with assault rifles and weapons.[27][25]

Jauli Canal Incident edit

Clashes between the two communities occurred at low frequencies for the next two weeks. The Beti Bachao Mahapanchayat, attended by lacs of people, proved to be inflammatory as it was allowed to be held by the district administration, despite imposition of 144 Crpc in the area, around 2,000 Hindus returning from Panchayat were ambushed by Muslim[28] mob armed with assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons near Jauli Canal on 7 September.[27] The mobs had set fire on 18 tractor trollies and 3 motorbikes. According to an eyewitness account, the bodies were dumped into the canal.[27] Although six bodies were recovered, it was rumoured that hundreds were missing.[27] Bodies of three Jats were found at the site of violence and three Hindus bodies were fished out from Jauli Canal.[29] The District Magistrate agreed that many people were missing, but doubted whether they had been killed or had migrated earlier from the village.[27] Survivors of the Jauli Canal incident added that the policemen who were watching the assault did not help the victims, as they had said that 'they do not have orders to act'.[28] This Jauli Canal incident aroused Jats to go on a rampage against Muslims with the claim that the latter were responsible for the killings.[27] This led to the riots, which killed around 42 Muslim people and 20 Hindus (including a news reporter and a photographer).[3][30] The casualties occurred before the Army was deployed and a curfew was imposed in Muzaffarnagar and its surrounding Shamli district.

Even with the curfew and use of army the clashes continued for the next three days, with casualties increasing to 43 by 12 September 2013. A state home department official said that 38 people died in Muzaffarnagar, 3 in Baghpat, and one each in Saharanpur and Meerut.[31]

Sexual violence edit

The first case of gang-rape was registered in the aftermath of the riots from the village of Fugana in Jogiya Kheda.[32] Later two more cases of rape were registered in October.[33] It was reported on 15 November 2013 that a total of 13 rape and sexual harassment cases were registered over the past two months of rioting and the report named 111 people in the incidents but no arrests had been made until then.[34]

Aftermath edit

Mahapanchayat in Sardhana edit

A Mahapanchayat (grand council) of 40 villages was held in Khera, Sardhana on 29 September 2013 to protest against the Uttar Pradesh government charging the local BJP MLA Sangeet Singh Som under the National Security Act. The crowd became violent when the police began to brandish sticks. The situation turned tense when a rumour spread that a youth injured in police action had died. Crowd set fire police jeeps and other vehicles.[35]

Repercussions edit

On 30 October 3 people were killed and 1 injured after a clash between two communities in Mohammadpur Raisingh village of Muzaffarnagar district. Police forces were deployed and an alert was sounded in the entire district. The incident is widely seen as repercussion of the violence in September.[36] On 4 July 2014, a local court has recorded the statement of a witness and deferred until 16 July the hearing in the Kawal killing case here.[37]

Action edit

Approximately 1,000 army troops were deployed and curfew was imposed in the violence-hit areas. 10,000 Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel, 1,300 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and 1,200 Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed to control the situation.[38]

Around 10,000 to 12,000 preventive arrests were made by the police as of 11 September 2013. They cancelled 2,300 arms licenses, seized 2,000 arms, and filed seven cases under the National Security Act.[4]

Approximately 50,000 people have been displaced.[10] Some of them took shelter at ten state-run relief camps.[4]

By 31 August 2013, five FIRs were registered in connection with the case and eleven people have so far been arrested and booked under various charges, including that of rioting and murder. Police arrested several Bhartiya Janta Party leaders for inciting communal violence including Sangeet Som, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Dharamvir Baliyan, party's district president Ajit Rathi and ten other political activists when they tried to visit communal violence hit Kawal village of Muzaffarnagar district.[39]

Investigation edit

Seventeen FIRs have been lodged against leaders including one for the Mahapanchayat (great council) which organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Union leaders.[5][40] The Uttar Pradesh Government announced a one-member judicial commission composed of Justice Vishnu Sahay, a retired Allahabad High Court judge on 9 September 2013. The commission has been asked to submit a report about the violence within two months.[41] The UP government also removed five senior officials of the police and the administration from Muzaffarnagar for their poor handling of the situation.[42]

Misuse of social media edit

Chief Judicial Magistrate issued non-bailable warrants against 16 politicians. On 20 August 2013, BSP MP Kadir Rana was booked for his alleged hate speech in Khalapar area of the city. He was absconding but surrendered on 17 December 2013 and was sent to judicial custody.[43] BJP MLA Sangeet Som was arrested for allegedly uploading a fake video that shows a Muslim mob brutally murdering a Hindu youth and delivering provocative speeches.[44][45][46][47]

Sting operation edit

A sting operation done by Headlines Today revealed that UP Cabinet Minister Azam Khan ordered police officers to release Muslims and not take action against them.[48][49] However, Azam Khan has denied the charges.[50]

Convictions edit

In 2022, BJP MLA Vikram Singh Saini along with 11 others were sentenced to two years imprisonment by a special court which convicted them of rioting and other offences.[14] On 9 May 2023, two men were convicted for gang rape of a Muslim woman by a trial court in Muzaffarnagar receiving 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and 10,000 fine.[51]

Response edit

Political parties such as Bahujan Samaj Party,[52] Bharatiya Janata Party,[53] Rashtriya Lok Dal[54] and Muslim organizations including Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind[55] demanded the dismissal of ruling Samajwadi Party government and imposition of President's rule in the state.

The failure of UP government to take prompt action is usually attributed to Akhilesh Yadav's indecision. According to a report in The Caravan, one reason for the hesitation may have been the response to a law and order directive weeks before the riots. Despite a ban on the activities of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, many of the organisations activists' managed to reach Ayodhya for a campaign. Akhilesh's government may have feared a similar undermining of their authority if they tried to ban the meeting of Mahapanchayat[56].

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde informed the press that he had already warned the Uttar Pradesh government about the escalating communal tensions there, for which Akhilesh Yadav had promised preventive measures.[57]

Senior Samajwadi Party leader and Minority Welfare Minister Azam Khan was absent from Party's national executive meeting which was held at Agra. He is reportedly unhappy with the manner in which the district administration handled the situation in Muzaffarnagar.[58]

Sompal Shastri, who was a candidate of Samajwadi Party from Baghpat, refused to contest 2014 Loksabha polls.[59]

In a Public Interest Litigation filed by a victim of the violence, Mohammed Haroon and others in the Supreme Court, the number of deaths was claimed to be over 200.[56]

Relief camps edit

State Government has organised relief camps in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts for riot victims of 9,000 families, with over 50,000 members. [60] According to district magistrates of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, 3,500 families comprising over 23,000 members in Muzaffarnagar and 3,000 families consisting of over 15,000 persons are staying in camps in Shamli.[60]

In Muzaffarnagar there are three relief camps where about 1,000 persons of one community have taken shelter while about 3,200 families of another community are staying in another 2 camps.[60] In Shamli they are running 14 relief camps where foodgrains, milk, and water are provided to the families.[60]

Deaths in camps edit

As of 22 October 2013, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has said that seven deaths have occurred in the Loi relief camp in the aftermath of last month's riots in Muzaffarnagar even as organisers at Malakpur camp in Shamli district admitted that eight babies died at the camp. In Joula camp out of 30 deliveries in the camp three babies had died. [61] In December, Al Jazeera English reported that an additional 30 children had "died due to the harsh cold".[62]

Film edit

'Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai/Muzaffarnagar Eventually', a documentary film by Nakul Singh Sawhney did an in-depth analysis of the riots. The film was screened across 200 Universities in Canada, the US, Europe and India. The filmmaker was attacked by the Hindu nationalist ABVP during the screening of the film at Delhi University. As a result, there were 100s of protest screenings in India a month later. Rohith Vemula, a student of Hyderabad Central University was also penalised for organising the screening of the film that exposed the role of the right-wing Hindu fundamentalists in engineering the riots for electoral dividends in the General elections of 2014 that took place six months after the riots.


Book edit

The book Living Apart: Communal violence and forced displacement in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, based on a field report conducted between March and July 2016, chronicles the lives of the victims of the Muzaffarnagar riots and reflects on the violence that occurred. The book also offers criticism for the apparent apathy of the state government for the victims.[63][64][65][66]

The novella In The Name of Blasphemy, written by Neeraj Agnihotri, is also set in the backdrop of Muzaffarnagar riots, talking mainly about the suffering and brutality caused by the riots in the name of religion.[67]

Censure and indictment edit

A report composed by a six-member team of the Center for Policy Analysis, comprising Harsh Mander, Kamal Chenoy, John Dayal, Seema Mustafa, Sukumar Muralidharan, and E.N. Rammohan, censured members of the Samajwadi Party(SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) for their role in the violence. According to the report, the violence was

seen to be a choreographed spectacle in which the SP and the BJP would create sharp polarisation on communal grounds, compelling the electorate to make a choice between them and squeezing out other parties which have been claiming significant shares of popular vote.[68]

The Justice Vishnu Sahai commission, which made an enquiry into the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, blamed members of the SP and the BJP for being involved in the violence. The commission also blamed senior police and administrative officials for errors which led to the escalation of the violence.[69]

On 12 October 2022, BJP MLA Vikram Singh Saini was convicted and sentenced to 2-years in prison in the riots case.[70][71] Saini along with 11 others were sentenced to two years imprisonment by a special MP/MLA court which convicted them of rioting and other offences and also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each.[72][73]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Rai, Rajat (7 September 2013). "Journalist and a photographer killed in fresh communal violence in Muzaffarnagar, army deployed as curfew imposed". India Today.
  2. ^ Bhalla, Nita (19 September 2013). "Fear stalks displaced Muslims after Muzaffarnagar riots". Reuters.
  3. ^ a b c "Government releases data of riot victims identifying religion". The Times of India. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d "Muzaffarnagar violence: Over 10,000 displaced; 10,000 arrested". The Times of India. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Muzaffarnagar clashes: UP on edge, Akhilesh govt struggles to contain riots". The Times of India. 9 September 2013.
  6. ^ "Troops deployed to quell deadly communal clashes between Hindus, Muslims in north India". Associated Press. 8 September 2013. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013.
  7. ^ Bose, Adrija (8 September 2013). "Firstpost India IBN7 journalist killed in UP communal riots, Army clamps curfewIBN7 journalist killed in UP communal riots, Army clamps curfew". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  8. ^ Fayyaz, Ahmed Ali (8 September 2013). "9 killed in communal riots in Muzaffarnagar, curfew clamped, army deployed". The Indian Express. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  9. ^ "Fresh clashes in UPs Muzaffarnagar leave 26 dead, Army deployed in affected areas". Hindustan Times. 7 September 2013. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  10. ^ a b "Muzaffarnagar riots: normalcy returns, army leaves". Hindustan Times. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013.
  11. ^ "An old curse returns". The Economist. 21 September 2013.
  12. ^ Anand, Utkarsh (26 March 2014). "SC holds Akhilesh govt guilty of negligence, orders arrest of all Muzaffarnagar accused". The Indian Express. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  13. ^ "2013 Muzaffarnagar riots: Court allows to withdraw cases against 12 BJP leaders". The Wire (India). 28 March 2021.
  14. ^ a b Mishra, Ishita (11 October 2022). "BJP MLA among 12 sentenced to two years in prison in 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case". The Hindu. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  15. ^ "The Mystery of Kawwal: Were Muzaffarnagar riots based on distortion of facts?". NDTV. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  16. ^ a b Kirpal, Raman (16 September 2013). "How SP, BJP, BSP politicians gave their blessings as Muzaffarnagar burned". First Post. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  17. ^ Varma, Gyan (12 September 2013). "Communalism gains new ground in rural India". Live Mint. Retrieved 12 September 2013. The violence erupted after a girl belonging to the dominant Jat community was subjected to street harassment by some young Muslims in Kawal village. The incident led to clashes between Jats and Muslims in the village in which three people died.
  18. ^ a b c Sagar, Pradip R. (12 September 2013). "dna in Muzaffarnagar: SP bid to gain foothold in Muzaffarnagar behind deadly riots?". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  19. ^ "The Muzaffarnagar aftermath". India Today. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  20. ^ a b "Timeline of Muzaffarnagar riots: eve-teasing incident led to murders, then riots". India TV News. 8 September 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  21. ^ "The Muzaffarnagar aftermath". India Today. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  22. ^ a b c "The Mystery of Kawwal: Were Muzaffarnagar riots based on distortion of facts?". NDTV. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  23. ^ "Three killed in UP after girl's harassment". Mid-Day. 28 August 2013.
  24. ^ "Army deployed in Muzaffarnagar after 11 killed in clashes, UP on high alert". India Today. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  25. ^ a b Jain, Sreenivasan (11 September 2013). "Muzaffarnagar riots: a meeting after Friday prayers exploited by politicians". NDTV. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  26. ^ "Muzaffarnagar riots: Trial against 3 BSP leaders, ex-Congress MP to start on Jan 27". The Times of India. 18 January 2020.
  27. ^ a b c d e f Sagar, Pradip R (13 September 2013). "dna special: Jolly canal killings triggered the Muzaffarnagar riots". DNA India. Archived from the original on 15 September 2013.
  28. ^ a b Anand, Deevakar; Bhatt, Virendra Nath (21 September 2013). "Everybody Loves a Good Riot". Tehelka. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013.
  29. ^ "3 bodies of Jat victims fished out of Muzaffarnagar canal, say police". The Indian Express. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  30. ^ "10 killed in communal clashes in UP's Muzaffarnagar, violence spreads to Meerut villages". Hindustan Times. 7 September 2013. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013.
  31. ^ "Death toll rises after riots in India's Muzaffarnagar". BBC News. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  32. ^ Siddiqui, Furqan Ameen (4 December 2013). "UP turns its back on Muzaffarnagar's gang-rape victims". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  33. ^ "Two fresh cases of gangrape registered in Muzaffarnagar". Tehelka. 1 October 2013. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  34. ^ PTI (15 November 2013). "No one held in rape cases of Muzaffarnagar riots". Zee News. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  35. ^ "20 injured in police clashes over Meerut mahapanchayat". The Times of India. 30 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 October 2013.
  36. ^ "Fresh Communal Violence erupts in Muzaffarnagar, 3 Dead". Biharprabha News. 31 October 2013.
  37. ^ "Court defers hearing in Muzaffarnagar riots case till July 16". ABP Live. 4 July 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  38. ^ "Curfew in force, toll in Muzaffarnagar climbs to 28". Tehelka. 9 September 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  39. ^ "Former UP Minister, 11 others held for trying to go to Muzaffarnagar's Kawal village". Niti Central. 31 August 2013. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  40. ^ Pandey, Devesh K. (8 September 2013). "Muzaffarnagar toll mounts to 21". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  41. ^ Bose, Adrija (9 September 2013). "Muzaffarnagar live: UP govt appoints judicial panel to probe violence". Firstpost. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  42. ^ "Poor riot management: Uttar Pradesh government removes five senior officials". The Times of India. 10 September 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  43. ^ "Muzaffarnagar riots: BSP MP surrenders, sent to 14-day judicial custody". IBN 7. 17 December 2013. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  44. ^ Press Truth of India (2 October 2013). "Authorities seek video conferencing of Som, Rana in riots case". Business Standard.
  45. ^ "VIP treatment to HateMongers BJP MLA Sangeet Som and Rana". India Today. New Delhi. 22 September 2013.
  46. ^ "Muzaffarnagar riots: BJP MLA Sangeet Som booked under National Security Act". Zee News. 24 September 2013.
  47. ^ "Muzaffarnagar riots: BJP MLA Sangeet Som booked under National Security Act". Muzaffarnagar: Zee News. 24 September 2013.
  48. ^ "Cops expose Azam Khan's role in Muzaffarnagar violence". Headlines Today. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  49. ^ "Azam Khan had interfered with police probe, Jats tell Congress leaders". The Times of India. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  50. ^ "Muzaffarnagar: Azam Khan says punish me if guilty". Hindustan Times. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original on 19 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  51. ^ Mishra, Ishita (9 May 2023). "Court awards 20-year jail to two for gang rape of Muslim woman during Muzaffarnagar riots". The Hindu. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  52. ^ "Muzaffarnagar clash: Bahujan Samaj Party demands dismissal of UP government". DNA India. 8 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  53. ^ "BJP demands dismissal of UP government". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  54. ^ "Muzaffarnagar clashes: RLD chief Ajit Singh demands President's Rule in UP". Business Standard. 8 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  55. ^ "Muzaffarnagar riots: Jamiat demands dismissal of Akhilesh govt". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 12 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  56. ^ a b Dixit, Neha (1 September 2015). "Akhilesh Yadav in the family business". The Caravan. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  57. ^ "Muzaffarnagar riots: Blame game continues as death toll rises to 31". IBNLive. 9 September 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  58. ^ "Azam Khan's absence sets rumour mills churning". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  59. ^ "In wake of Muzaffarnagar riots, Sompal Shastri refuses to be SP candidateg". The Times of India. 15 September 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013.
  60. ^ a b c d "38,000 in relief camps, most not yet ready to return home". 14 September 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013.
  61. ^ "Conditions at relief camps appalling: NHRC". The Indian Express. 22 October 2013.
  62. ^ Shafi, Showkat (25 December 2013). "Indian children freeze to death in camps". Al Jazeera.
  63. ^ "The Lingering Pain of Muzaffarnagar". Outlook (Indian magazine). 9 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  64. ^ "Muzaffarnagar riots: 30,000 people still living in 65 refugee colonies". Asian Age. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  65. ^ "Riot victims live in ghetto-like conditions: Report". The Hindu. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  66. ^ "30000 riot displaced off govt's radar". The Telegraph (India). 8 September 2016. Archived from the original on 9 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  67. ^ Agnihotri, Neeraj (23 May 2018). In The Name Of Blasphemy. Neeraj Agnihotri. ISBN 978-1-5218-0386-8.
  68. ^ "Muzaffarnagar riots: Report says SP and BJP behind violence". India Today. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  69. ^ "Panel finds Samajwadi Party, BJP hand in UP riots". The Times of India. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  70. ^ "BJP MLA Vikram Saini gets 2-year jail in riots case". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  71. ^ "Gram pradhan to two-time MLA: How Vikram Saini's fortunes changed after 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots". The Indian Express. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  72. ^ "Muzaffarnagar Riots: BJP MLA Vikram Saini, 11 Others Convicted, Sentenced to Jail". The Wire. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  73. ^ Upadhyay, Sparsh (12 October 2022). "Muzaffarnagar Riots 2013 Case: BJP MLA Vikram Saini, 10 Others Sentenced To Two Years In Prison, Granted Bail Later". www.livelaw.in. Retrieved 12 October 2022.

External links edit