Lucknow, Dec 16 (PTI) Attacking the opposition, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that 209 Hindus were killed in communal violence in Sambhal since 1947 but these parties never spoke a single word for them.

Speaking in the Assembly after the Samajwadi Party and the Congress sought a discussion on the Sambhal violence during a protest against a court-ordered survey of a mosque and other similar incidents, the Leader of the House claimed that the atmosphere in Sambhal was spoiled over the years.

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"Riots started continuously from 1947. One person died in 1947 and six people died in 1948. There were riots from 1958-1962 and five people died in 1976," he said and added that 184 Hindus were burnt en masse in 1978.

Curfew was imposed continuously for many months. Riots took place in 1980-1982 and one person died in 1986. Four people died in 1990-1992 and two died in 1996. This trend continued, Singh said.

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Targeting at the opposition, the chief minister said that 209 Hindus have been killed in Sambhal from 1947 till now but "those who shed crocodile tears did not say a word about innocent Hindus".

Rejecting the opposition's charge of an increase in communal tension in Uttar Pradesh, he cited the data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Since 2017, there has been a 97 per cent to 99 per cent reduction in communal riots in the state, he said.

There have been no riots in UP since 2017, whereas from 2012 to 2017 (SP tenure), there were 815 communal riots in the state and 192 people died, he said.

Between 2007 and 2011, there were 616 communal incidents, in which 121 people died, Adityanath said and asked, "How long will you mislead the public by hiding the facts?

Referring to the Sambhal riots of 1978, he highlighted the brutal murder of a businessman who had lent money to people. "During the riots, Hindus sought refuge in his house, but it was surrounded.... first his hands were cut, followed by his legs and throat. And yet, these individuals have the temerity to speak of harmony," he said.

The chief minister said that the Bajrang Bali temple, which is now reopened, had been kept closed since 1978 due to the opposition of these very people.

"Who closed 22 wells? Who created a tense atmosphere in Sambhal? These same people. They must have pelted stones, disturbed the peace, and spoiled the atmosphere. Not even one of them will be spared," he asserted firmly.

Talking about the victory of the BJP-led alliance in seven out of nine seats including the Kundarki assembly constituency of Moradabad district in the recent bye-elections, the chief minister said that calling the result of Kundarki a robbery of votes is an insult to the MLA from there.

The SP candidate had to forfeit his deposit on the seat.

'Today is the time of digital media. The Pathan and Sheikh there are saying that our ancestors were Hindus. Your ancestors were also Hindus. This is a clash between Indian and foreign Muslims which is going on for supremacy," Adityanath said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)