Controversial Cabinet minister and BJP ally SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar accused the Vishwa Hindu Prishad of engineering the riot in Bulandshahr which claimed the life of an inspector on Monday.

Rajbhar said that the video circulating on social media had proved the involvement of VHP and Bajrang Dal activists and alleged that both outfits were fomenting communal frenzy for obvious political gains.

Earlier, ahead of the Dharma Sabha at Ayodhya on November 25, the VHP had demanded the dismissal of Rajbhar for his comment against the Ram temple at Ayodhya, charging him with stabbing the BJP in the back.

On Tuesday, Rajbhar claimed that among the three arrested in connection with the violence, one was from the BJP and one each from VHP and Bajrang Dal. He said that he would meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and complain about the activities of VHP and Bajrang Dal and demand stern action against both.

The UP minister alleged that the Bulandshahr violence was planned and people were instigated to indulge in violence. He said that the big question was as to why traffic on the highway was blocked for several hours.

Later, reiterating his opposition to Ram temple at Ayodhya, Rajbhar said: "Before Ram temple, we need temples of education like primary schools for the poor and downtrodden children. No one has the time to debate about issues of the common man and the BJP is pursuing the agenda of charging the Congress with creating hurdles in the path of the BJP government at the Centre."

Rajbhar also took exceptions to Yogi Adityanath's 'Lord Hanuman was Dalit' remark, saying that it was wrong to divide gods into castes and that the CM was creating a controversy with such statements.

While addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Alwar, Yogi had said: "Hanuman was a forest dweller, deprived and a Dalit. 'Bajrang Bali' worked to unite all Indian communities, from north to south and east to west." “Due to the controversial statement, members of Dalit community are demanding to take over Hanuman temples,” Rajbhar said.