Muzaffarnagar riots: Rajnath pulls up Akhilesh Govt., asks Centre to impose President's rule in UP

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh on Thursday alleged that the Samajwadi Party (SP) Government has no right to continue in Uttar Pradesh, and asked the Centre to intervene and impose President's rule in the state if situation does not improve in the aftermath of the Muzaffarnagar communal violence.

"The kind of situation that the Samajwadi Party has created in UP, I think they don't have the right to continue," Singh told media here.

"The Government of India must intervene, even if after that the situation doesn't improve then President's rule must be imposed (in UP)," he added.

Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh had earlier on Tuesday defended the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh Government, and said that it took stringent measures in the Muzaffarnagar riots and the situation was brought under control within two days.

"The government did everything to control the violence. The situation was under control within two days. We couldn't have opened fire as innocents could have died. What happened in Muzaffarnagar was very unfortunate. The security forces dealt with the problem very effectively," he told media in Agra.

"It is because of the sternness shown by the government that the situation remained calm," he added.

Yadav further said that communal elements are trying to take advantage of the violence in Muzaffarnagar and its adjoining areas. He also denied opposition parties' allegations that the state has witnessed hundred riots during the Samajwadi Party's rule, and called it 'a big lie'.

Meanwhile, the curfew has been relaxed from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Muzaffarnagar city today. The concerned authorities say that the situation in the curfew-hit city and far-flung areas is fast returning to normal.

It is the third consecutive day of curfew relaxation, which is passing off peacefully. People in large number have come out from their houses. Besides making essential purchases for their families, they are also visiting friends and relatives.

The administration is keeping a strict vigil on every aspect of the violence hit areas including Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Baghpat and Meerut. Heavy deployment of army and paramilitary forces has been ensured to avert any untoward situation in the deep rural areas.

Scores of senior officials, including Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arun Kumar and others, are constantly camping in trouble-hit Muzaffarnagar.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has constituted a one-member judicial commission to probe Muzaffarnagar violence, which claimed at least 40 lives.

The commission, which would mainly look into administrative lapses, if any, in controlling the violence, would submit its report to the government within two months.

Violence broke out in the Kawal area of Muzaffarnagar on Saturday when members of a community returning from a panchayat meeting in Naglabadhod, three kilometres from Kawal, clashed with members of another community.