The Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh has cancelled the permission for a BJP rally, which was to be addressed by senior party leader LK Advani and MP Varun Gandhi in Fatehpur Sikri on September 15.

Citing the recent communal riots in Muzaffarnagar that left 48 persons dead and many injured, Agra district magistrate Zuhair Bin Sagheer denied to give permission to the saffron party to hold a “Swabhimaan Rally” on Sunday. Earlier, the BJP leaders were not allowed to visit Muzaffarnagar following the communal tension.

Agra is a traditionally strong Jat area of Uttar Pradesh. Fearing the possible violence in that area, the district administration withdrew the permission for the rally.

It can be noted that BJP firebrand leader Varun Gandhi was charged with making a hate-speech targeting Muslims in the run-up to the 2009 elections. Later, he was acquitted of those charges.