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Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the shahi imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, on Monday accused the ruling Samajawadi Party in Uttar Pradesh of taking late action in the Kosi Kalan communal riots and said he will give a second thought on supporting the party in the forthcoming municipal elections and 2014 general polls.
Hitting out at the SP, for whom he had sought support in the state assembly elections, Bukhari said, "It took so much time (for the government) to take action and bring things under control...The Muslims voted for the Samajwadi Party in the state assembly elections and now Muslims are at the losing end...their morale is breaking."
"I will have to think about our (Muslim community) relationship with the SP, especially in the context of forthcoming municipal elections and 2014 Lok Sabha polls," he told the media at the circuit house in Agra on Sunday after being refused entry to the riot-hit town.
Bukhari said he wanted to meet members of the affected Muslim community there.
Alleging that the riots were "pre-planned", he said the government was not taking any strong action in the case. "Neither the Chief Minister (Akhilesh Yadav) nor (SP chief) Mulayam Singh (Yadav) visited the site. The top leaders of the party ought to have visited the riot-hit place," he said.
Bukhari also demanded adequate compensation for the riot victims.
Four persons were killed and 16 others injured in the communal clash that broke out in Kosi Kalan, about 45 km from Mathura, on Friday reportedly after a pedestrian used water meant for some religious purpose.