BJP upset with official who spoke on Kasganj violence

Lucknow, Jan 30 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the BJP are miffed with Bareilly District Magistrate Raghvendra Vikram Singh who criticized mobs which ran into Muslim areas raising anti-Pakistan slogans.

Singh’s now deleted Facebook comment slamming "forces running into minority dominated localities and raising anti-Pakistan slogans", like in Kasganj on Republic Day, is under fire from leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Several BJP leaders not only denounced the bureaucrat for his remarks but also demanded action against him.

One MLA, Rajesh Mishra, told the media that such an official had no business remaining in the chair for even a minute and that he will raise the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and Adityanath.

"His mentality as reflected in the Facebook post clearly shows he is working against our values and hence should be acted against," Mishra said.

The Facebook post said that forced entry of people into minority areas and sloganeering against Pakistan were disturbing the law and order.

Official sources told IANS that Adityanath had reportedly ticked off the District Magistrate over telephone on Tuesday. He has also been reportedly summoned to Lucknow.

The controversial post has since been deleted, apparently under pressure from the government.