Yogi Adityanath was among the BJP leaders who had asked for an inquiry into Palghar incident
In the political sparring over the murder of Sadhus in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has lashed out at Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in tweets in which he sneered: "You handle Maharashtra, don't bother about UP".
Yogi Adityanath posted three tweets last evening to rebut Sanjay Raut, who had taunted the UP Chief Minister over the Bulandshahr killing, "advising" him that there should be no communal politics over it like in the case of the mob-killing of two sadhus in Maharashtra's Palghar.
"Sanjay Raut, what should we say about such ideological views, your labelling as politics the concern over the gruesome killing of saints in Palghar? Your comments, bloodsoaked in poor morals, is a reflection of your changed political colours. This is undoubtedly the gateway to appeasement," Yogi Adityanath tweeted, claiming that he had dialed Uddhav Thackeray because the Sadhus killed in Palghar belonged to the Nirmohi Akhada.
"There is rule of law in UP. It deals strictly with those who break the law. Prompt action was taken after the Bulandshahr killings and the accused was caught within hours. Handle Maharashtra, don't worry about UP."
The killing of the two sadhus in UP on Monday night blew up into a political controversy after the Shiv Sena, which rules Maharashtra in a coalition, went on the offensive about the mob-killing of Sadhus in Palghar being communalized. Its former ally BJP took the lead in condemning the incident and suggesting a communal angle in the attack on seers, though the Maharashtra government denied it. The Sadhus and their driver were lynched over rumours of kidnappers involved in organ trafficking, the state government said.
Yogi Adityanath was among the BJP leaders who had asked for an inquiry into the Palghar incident; he had also dialed Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to express concern and call for an inquiry.
Uddhav Thackeray yesterday called Yogi Adityanath and did the same, a move many saw as payback.
Sanjay Raut tweeted about the phone-call.
Mr Raut also posted: "Terrible ! Killing of two saints, sadhus at a temple in Bulandshahr,UP. But I appeal to all concerned to not make it communal the way they tried to make palghar,Maharashtra incident."