Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], March 18 (ANI): Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari on Tuesday said that the communal clashes that took place in Giridih on the occasion of Holi were a pre-planned conspiracy, further alleging that BJP leaders were behind it.

Speaking to mediapersons, Ansari said 'The incident in Giridih happened as per a pre-planned conspiracy, and some BJP leaders are behind it...'

On March 15, violence broke out in Giridih after violence leading to clashes.

Jharkhand BJP Chief Babulal Marandi termed the incident as 'extremely unfortunate' and a weakness of the government. Speaking to ANI, Marandi accused the administration of failing to act as attackers openly targeted processions while the police remained passive.

'What happened during Holi celebrations yesterday is very unfortunate. This is a weakness of the Government...This is the height of appeasement. The government says that those who cause disturbances during festivals will be arrested. But here, people are openly attacking processions. Police remained a mute spectator,' the BJP leader said.

Speaking to ANI, Marandi accused the administration of failing to act as attackers openly targeted processions while the police remained passive.

'What happened during Holi celebrations yesterday is very unfortunate. This is a weakness of the Government...This is the height of appeasement. The government says that those who cause disturbances during festivals will be arrested. But here, people are openly attacking processions. Police remained a mute spectator,' the BJP leader said.

Speaking to ANI about the Giridih violence, Nishikant Dubey said, 'A similar incident happened in my area on the day of Holika Dahan. I called up the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), and then the situation came to normal. Before the Jharkhand assembly elections, the BJP had said that in 30 out of 81 assembly constituencies, voter turnout has increased from 50 per cent to 150 per cent, which is because of Bangladeshi infiltrators.'

'Shops were burnt in Deoghar; all this is because of the policies of the Congress, which is bringing Bangladeshis on one pretext or the other. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government released these infiltrators. Now, the tribal population is decreasing and has come down from 45 per cent to 22-23 per cent, and Muslims have increased from 9 per cent to 28-29 per cent,' he said. (ANI)