Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday met the family of Mohammed Akhlaq, who was lynched by a mob, and said the government will do everything to bring the guilty to book.
Addressing the media, shortly after meeting Iqlakh’s family who had landed here yesterday night, UP CM said, “We are with Iqlakh’s family in this hour of grief. The family is in shock, we assure them all help.”
“We will help them, will also provide them with job if required,” Yadav added.
Yadav also said that stern action will be taken against the accused and those attempting to spread rumours.
While lashing out at the opposition parties for politicising the matter, the UP CM said that communal harmony is an integral part of nation’s culture and added that Samajwadi Party would never do politics on matters such as these.
“We assure full support and help to the family. There are some people, who are politicising this matter. I want to assure you that the Samajwadi Party would never do politics over such matters. Communal harmony is in our culture and we must ensure that our social fabric remains intact,” he added.
Akhilesh Yadav also announces an ex-gratia of Rs 30 lakh to Iqlakh’s family and 5 lakh each to his three brothers.
Meanwhile, Iqlakh’s elder brother thanked UP CM and added that they hope for a quick justice.
“We thank CM Akhilesh Yadav who supported us. We hope that justice will be done,” Iqlakh’s elder brother said.
Controversial BJP lawmaker Sangeet Som also addressed a gathering of hundreds in a village. Prohibitory orders forbid the assembly of more than four people in one place in the village.
“We have been saying repeatedly that cow slaughter is happening all over UP. This is leading to riots,” he said and accused the state’s Samajwadi Party government for conducting a “one-sided investigation”.
Asked if he would visit the victim’s family, the BJP lawmaker said, “The family isn’t here. The government of Uttar Pradesh taken them away in an airplane. The way they did with the conspirators of the Muzaffarnagar riots… they have now done the same with the cow killers.”
