Keen to shake off the perception that BJP was instigating communal violence, aHome Ministryreport has said that incidents of communal tensions have decreased by nearly 20% after the new government assumed power at the Centre. Home MinisterRajnath Singhtoo said at an event on Saturday that incidents of communal violence had decreased this year.
A senior government official told ET that the latest figures compiled in a note for the minister said that incidents of communal violence this year have come down by almost 20% from the corresponding period last year.
There have been 561 communal skirmishes in the country till the end of October, while there were 694 incidents of communal violence in the same period last year, the official said. The whole of 2013 under UPA rule saw as many as 823 incidents of communal violence across India, a sharp rise from 668 such incidents in 2012, the top official said.
A close reading of the figures, however, reveals there is not much change in the communal violence scenario this year since the BJP government came to power. While there were around 270 incidents of communal violence in the first five months of 2014 when the country was under UPA rule, the first five months of theNarendra Modigovernment have also saw nearly 290 incidents. "It's the opposition ruled states - Uttar Pradesh,Bihar, Karnataka and Maharashtra (under Congress rule till October) - that are unable to control communal tensions. These four states are biggest contributors, nearly 60% in all, to these figures," a Home Ministry official said.
TheSamajwadi Partyand theJanata Dal(United) in UP and Bihar, respectively, have blamed BJP leaders for instigating communal flare-ups. A senior Uttar Pradesh government official pointed out that the high figures of communal incidents in 2013 - which the Centre was now citing as a reference point to exhibit its 'performance' this year - was primarily due to the Muzzafarnagar riots that broke out in the district in 2013. "A number of BJP leaders, including their MLAs like Sangeet Som stand accused in the Muzzafarnagar riot cases," the UP government official said.
Communal clashes decrease by 20% under Narendra Modi government: Ministry of Home Affairs - The Economic Times on Mobile
A senior government official told ET that the latest figures compiled in a note for the minister said that incidents of communal violence this year have come down by almost 20% from the corresponding period last year.
There have been 561 communal skirmishes in the country till the end of October, while there were 694 incidents of communal violence in the same period last year, the official said. The whole of 2013 under UPA rule saw as many as 823 incidents of communal violence across India, a sharp rise from 668 such incidents in 2012, the top official said.
A close reading of the figures, however, reveals there is not much change in the communal violence scenario this year since the BJP government came to power. While there were around 270 incidents of communal violence in the first five months of 2014 when the country was under UPA rule, the first five months of theNarendra Modigovernment have also saw nearly 290 incidents. "It's the opposition ruled states - Uttar Pradesh,Bihar, Karnataka and Maharashtra (under Congress rule till October) - that are unable to control communal tensions. These four states are biggest contributors, nearly 60% in all, to these figures," a Home Ministry official said.
TheSamajwadi Partyand theJanata Dal(United) in UP and Bihar, respectively, have blamed BJP leaders for instigating communal flare-ups. A senior Uttar Pradesh government official pointed out that the high figures of communal incidents in 2013 - which the Centre was now citing as a reference point to exhibit its 'performance' this year - was primarily due to the Muzzafarnagar riots that broke out in the district in 2013. "A number of BJP leaders, including their MLAs like Sangeet Som stand accused in the Muzzafarnagar riot cases," the UP government official said.
Communal clashes decrease by 20% under Narendra Modi government: Ministry of Home Affairs - The Economic Times on Mobile
