Yogi Adityanath blames Congress for Sonbhadra massacre, says party’s ‘anti-Dalit, anti-tribal face’ exposed

Sonbhadra, July 21 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday met the family members of the people who were gunned down over a land dispute in a village in state’s Sonbhadra district.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the kin of the victims, the UP Chief Minister described the firing in Sonbhadra as an ”unfortunate incident.”
The monk-politician also ordered the suspension of police personnel who were found responsible for laxity on their part.
”Today I have ordered to provide compensation of Rs 18.5 lakh to the bereaved families of the deceased and Rs. 2.5 lakh to the injured from CM Relief Fund under SC/ST provisions,” Yogi Adityanath said.
The firebrand BJP leader also pinned the blame on the Congress party for the shocking murder of 10 tribal farmers in a shootout over farming land in Sonbhadra district this week.
CM Adityanath claimed that the firing in Sonbhadra was the result of a “very big political conspiracy” that had exposed the opposition’s “anti-Dalit, anti-tribal face”.
Yogi Adityanath also attacked Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and accused her of shedding “crocodile tears” over the farmers’ deaths.
Priyanka was detained by UP Police on Saturday while trying to meet families of those killed.
The stand-off between the two made headlines and was resolved after some of the families were allowed to meet her.
“This incident is a very big political conspiracy. The foundations were laid in 1955 when this land was transferred to a trust created by a Congress Rajya Sabha MP. In 1989 a Congress government in UP transferred the land to individual members of the trust,” the Chief Minister said.
“It is their ‘paap (sin)’ that has led to these villagers suffering,” the UP CM said.
Yogi Adityanath had earlier promised strict action against those accused and, in particular, Yagya Dutt, who he said was “an active member of the Samajwadi Party”.
The UP CM earlier flew to Sonbhadra from Lucknow and went by road to Umbha village to meet the families.
Ten persons from the Gond community were killed when the village headman and his associates allegedly opened fire at them over a land dispute on July 17. Over 20 people sustained injuries in the incident.
Several Samajwadi Party workers were detained by the police ahead of Adityanath`s visit. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) are in force in the village.
The Chief Minister had told a press conference on Friday that 29 people have been arrested and four officials have been suspended in connection with the incident.
“Till now, 29 criminals have been arrested. A single barrel gun, three double-barrel guns and a rifle have been seized. Whoever is found responsible for this incident, strictest action will be taken against them,” he had said.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh each has been paid to the families of the deceased by the state government.