In Uttar Pradesh, there will be assembly by-elections in ten seats, including the Sisamau seat in Kanpur. The Sisamau seat, traditionally associated with the Samajwadi Party (SP), is now targeted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). To gain an advantage in the elections, the UP government has announced the withdrawal of cases against 32 Hindus accused in a 2015 Hindu-Muslim violence case in Sisamau.
The violence occurred in 2015 during the overlapping festivals of Navratri and Muharram. During a community feast for Navratri, a procession for Muharram was taken out, leading to a conflict between the two groups. Approximately 50 people were identified by the police for involvement in the violence, which took place during the SP-led state government under the then-MLA Irfan Solanki.
Cases Against 32 Hindus to be Withdrawn
Allegations have surfaced that 32 Hindus were wrongfully imprisoned under pressure from Irfan Solanki. However, as Solanki is now in jail and by-elections are approaching in Sisamau, the BJP has decided to withdraw the cases against these individuals for political gain.
The accused individuals have expressed their happiness about the decision. One accused, Manish, mentioned that he has been organizing the community feast every year, and during the incident, a minor dispute escalated into violence. He stated that he was wrongfully implicated in the case.
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Another accused, Saurabh, noted that his brother Pawan was present at the feast but was also made an accused under pressure from the SP MLA. Now, the process to withdraw the cases against them has begun.
Dilip Awasthi, the government advocate at the Kanpur District Court, confirmed this development. He stated that the cases were filed under the influence of the SP government, and the accused belong to economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The government has decided to withdraw the cases, and once the official order is received, further actions will be taken.
