Uttar Pradesh minister JPS Rathore on Saturday said the state police successfully foiled all attempts to incite violence in Bareilly following last week’s clashes over the “I Love Muhammad” posters.
Rathore accused opposition leaders of planning visits to the city “to shed tears for rioters” and “vitiate the atmosphere.”
“There is complete peace in Bareilly now. The government will not allow anyone to disturb the tranquillity of the city,” Rathore said. He added that any political leaders visiting Bareilly were “part of a conspiracy to provoke unrest.”
On September 26, clashes broke out between locals and police after Friday prayers when a protest was cancelled, leaving several injured.
So far, 10 FIRs have been lodged, and more than 70 people, including cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan and his aides, have been arrested.
Rathore said only those who broke the law were arrested and credited the police’s swift action for preventing further violence.
He accused the opposition, particularly the Samajwadi Party, of seeking political mileage from the unrest.
