Maharashtra: BJP blames Raza Academy for violence in Amaravati, other parts

Days after violence broke out in Amravati district of Maharashtra, BJP MLA Nitesh Rane alleged that the Raza Academy was behind the violence in the different parts of the state.

According to police, on November 12, Raza Academy and several other Muslim orgsations in Amravati submitted a memorandum to the District Collector against violence in Tripura last month.

The BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal and other right-wing orgsations called for a bandh in Amravati on November 13 and gathered at Rajkamal chowk for the protest at 12 pm. Later, the mob went on a rampage in nearby areas like Itwara bazaar and Namuna area, pelting the shops with stones and damaging properties.

Following this, the police had resorted to lathi-charge and firing teargas shells to disperse the protesters. Later, the police imposed Section 144 in the city for the next four days.

Addressing the reporters, Rane said, "Raza Academy had orgsed a march on November 12 against the Tripura violence. I have the pamphlets that they had distributed. I challenge the Raza Academy to show evidence of Hindus burning down Masjid in Tripura. Burning of Masjid by Hindus was fake news."

The BJP MLA alleged, "The Academy is a terrorist orgsation and the founders of the orgsation stay in Afghstan and have Talib ideology. They don't do any social work and had opposed revocation of Triple Talaq."

Rane said, "The state government should arrest all the senior leaders of Raza Academy. If any violence happens on Hindus, we will not tolerate and if the situation goes out of control."

On Nawab Malik's allegation of his links with Raza Academy, BJP leader Ashish Shelar said, "It is true. But what is the connection between the riots in Maharashtra and the 2016-17 photo? What has this photo of mine got to do with Raza Academy? The meeting did not take place at the Raza Academy office. Don't try to hide the failure of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government in riots by showing some old photos. If you are not going to show your face when you have to show us so many photos with Raza Academy, then there will be no space for you to show your face. Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi and the NCP should stop the politics of photos."

Meanwhile, the police have arrested BJP leader and former Maharashtra Minister Dr l Bonde, Amravati Mayor Chetan Gawande, BJP Amravati Rural president Nivedita Chaudhari, and Amravati Municipal Corporation leader of house Tushar Bharatiya.

Incidents of stone-pelting were reported on Friday from Nanded, Malegaon and Amaravati in the backdrop of protests staged against the violence that took place in Psagar in Tripura on October 27.

"A sit-in protest was orgsed by Raza Academy in Nanded. Some youth were going towards mixed residential areas, police stopped them following which they pelted stones. Police used force to disperse them. It happened at three to four locations in the city," said Pramod Kumar Shewale, Superintendent of Police, Nanded district told on Friday.

( With inputs from ANI )