Kasganj Communal Violence: After outrage over Facebook post, Bareilly DM puts up ‘unconditional apology’

The District Magistrate Bareilly R. Vikram Singh, who caused a flutter over his post on Facebook following Kasganj communal clashes, has offered an unconditional apology.

The Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya has taken serious of his FB post and has threatened to initiate action against him. “Officers are not allowed to go public on sensitive issues. Such statement in the public domain by a responsible officer is unacceptable. We have taken serious note of his act and will initiate action against the erring officer,” warned Maurya.

After the Kasganj communal clashes, the DM Bareilly had posted following from his personal FB account: “It is has become a trend to barge into Muslim-dominated localities and raise anti-Pakistan slogans. Are they Pakistanis?

The same had happened in Khaillum in Bareilly...it led to stone pelting and filing of FIRs…”

His post had created a flutter when it went viral on the social media causing embarrassment to the UP government. After the controversy, the DM had deleted the post. Later, he clarified that it was his ‘personal opinion’ on what problems district administration faces when such marches are taken out without permission.

Singh later wrote another post on the Facebook to offer explanations with regard to his controversial FB post and south an apology. “My post was in relation to law and order problems faced during the ‘Kaawar yatra’ in Bareilly. I had hoped that there will be academic discussion but unfortunately, it had taken a different turn,” he said in his latest FB post.

“(It is) Extremely sad. We hold discussions for betterment but it seems many are hurt and objected to it. I had no intentions to hurt anyone. To maintain communal harmony is our administrative and moral responsibility. Muslims are like our brothers…they are our own blood…we have same DNA…we failed to bring them back (to mainstream) …we will talk on this some other time…” he further said in the post.

“It would be better for us, nation, state and district to learn faster (how to maintain) harmony and (social) integration…Pakistan is an enemy nation…there is no doubt about it…(but) Muslims are ours… there is no doubt about that also…I want this controversy should now end here… I do apologize if our friends and brothers are pained because of me,” he wrote. 

Even as life limped back to normal in strife-torn Kasganj, some miscreants tried to create trouble today by damaging a dome-like structure on the wall of an Eidgah, located in Amanpur, 25 km from the district headquarters, officials said.

The police and administration controlled the situation immediately, District Magistrate RP Singh told reporters here.

Meanwhile, the BJP MLA from Kasganj today demanded that Chandan Gupta, the youth killed in communal clashes in the town, should be accorded the status of a "martyr".
"In Amanpur, some anti-social elements tried to foment trouble by damaging a dome-like structure on the boundary wall of an Eidgah. But, due to the swiftness of the police and administration, the situation was controlled swiftly," he said.

The police will intensify motorcycle patrolling in different areas of the city, Aligarh IG Sanjeev Gupta said adding that he too was keeping a close watch on the situation.

The RAF and PAC personnel kept strict vigil to ensure that the fragile peace was not disturbed again, police said.

Meanwhile, in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Kasganj MLA Devendra Singh Rajput (BJP) said, "We demand that Chandan Gupta should be accorded the status of a martyr.

He said the killers of the youth should be tried for treason and strict punishment given to them.
"Two family members of the deceased should be given jobs.

A traffic roundabout about should be named after him and his bust size statue should be installed there," he demanded.

A peace Committee, formed by the district administration, met this evening to review the situation and appealed to all sections of the society to maintain harmony.