Meerut, March 24 -- Uttar Pradesh All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) state president Haji Shaukat Ali has stirred political controversy in the state by warning that anyone who harms a Muslim would be killed in an encounter.

Addressing his supporters, Ali said, "Give us just 11 MLAs in UP, not 111." He also said that anyone who kills a Muslim will also be killed in an encounter, and he was leaving with this promise. He told his supporters that if mosques and madrasas are to be protected, they will need to create a stick, a flag, a leader, and reach the Assembly.

Highlighting development concerns, Ali said progress should reach beyond Gorakhpur and Saifai to cities like Meerut. Referring to a statement by the Meerut Captain ab...