The sadhus are to be let off. Ditto a Congress leader who later joined the BJP.

The only one among the 82 accused that the Yogi Adityanath government wants to prosecute for the street violence during a march by sadhus in Varanasi eight years ago is Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai.

The state government applied to the court of special judge (MP-MLA) Awanish Gautam on Thursday — a day before the eighth anniversary of the October 5, 2015, incident — seeking to withdraw the cases against 81 of the 82 accused.

“The prosecution finds itself unable to furnish evidence against 81 accused. Continuing with the trial could disturb public peace because most of the accused are spiritual and religious leaders,” a government representative told reporters on the condition of anonymity. “It will also be time-consuming and a waste of resources,” he added, quoting from the affidavit submitted before the Varanasi court.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand, current Shankaracharaya of the Jyotish Peeth Math, had led a procession on October 5, 2015, against the then Akhilesh Yadav government’s state-wide ban on the immersion of Ganesh idols in the Ganga at the end of Ganesh Utsav. A large number of sadhus had joined the procession as had Congress leaders Rai and Dayashankar Mishra on their own. Mishra later joined the BJP.

Eyewitnesses claim a bull ran amok, sending some of the protesters running helter-skelter. Some others mistakenly thought the police had started a baton-charge. This led to a stampede, injuring several people. Taking advantage of the situation, some criminals resorted to violence, setting fire to many vehicles, a police booth and a tonga stand.

Rai said: “There were 82 accused but the government wants to continue the charges of violence and arson against me alone because I am a Congress leader....”