BJP MLA Sanjay Sharma made the remark trying to defend the Uttar Pradesh government over the Bulandshahr violence. (Image: ANI)

A day after 83 former bureaucrats from Uttar Pradesh sought the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a BJP MLA from Bulandshahr rushed to his defence saying, the civil servants are only bothered about the two deaths, including the police officer, but not concerned about the 21 cows that were killed.

"You are seeing the deaths of only Sumit and a police officer but not the deaths of 21 cows," ANI quoted MLA Sanjay Sharma as saying.

An MLA from Anupshahr in Bulandshahr district, Sharma was referring to the cow carcasses that were found in Bulandshahr that sparked the violence in the Uttar Pradesh district leading to a mob attacking a police station and killing Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and a civilian.

As many as 83 former civil servants from Uttar Pradesh -- including ex-foreign secretaries Shyam Saran and Shivshankar Menon -- have written an open letter criticising the central and the state governments for their alleged failure in acting against the killers of a police officer in Bulandshahr.

The letter has blamed him for acting as a priest of the agenda of bigotry and also held the top officers responsible for forgetting their constitutional duties.