All deaths during anti-CAA protests in UP caused by police bullets: Akhilesh

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that all deaths during anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh were caused by police bullets and said the BJP's campaign in support of the Act was to "mislead" people.

Yadav, who visited the residence of Mohammad Wakil killed during an anti-CAA protest in the state capital, said, "He (Wakil) was not involved in the agitation. The government should probe as to whose bullet hit him. They (police) have the post-mortem report now."

"All the deaths during the agitation in the state were caused by police bullets," he claimed. Yadav also demanded compensation, house and job for Wakil's family, currently living in a rented accommodation.

He said families of all those killed during protests should be given adequate compensation.

The UP police initially claimed that none of the deaths was caused by police firing, but subsequently admitted some casualties in police bullets when cops fired in "self defence".

Officials have put the death toll at 19 in widespread clashes in the state, though the opposition parties claimed a higher figure. Yadav asked the government that if it wanted to make someone from another country its citizen, then why has it not given this "right" to Muslims.

"This is because you (BJP) want to divide the society and play politics. Every Indian is against CAA and NCR. When Aaadhaar has all information why NPR?" he posed.

"In a village, who has papers...From where will I bring date of birth paper of my mother. Government wants the people to only search for papers and not do daily chores," he lamented.