SP Govt. indulging in vote-bank politics over Muzaffarnagar riots: Uma Bharti

UP has constituted a one-member judicial commission to probe the violence

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Bharti on Tuesday charged the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh Government of indulging in vote bank politics in the wake of riots in Muzaffarnagar, and said she would meet the victims soon.

"I spoke to Rajnath Singhji yesterday that I wish to go to Muzaffarnagar to meet the people. People in Uttar Pradesh are troubled because of the state government, which is indulging in vote bank politics. I conveyed this to my party members, and that's why I am going to Muzaffarnagar," she said.

Earlier in the day, people welcomed the return of normal life in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar on Tuesday, a day after the curfew in the communal violence hit town was lifted.

Schools colleges, business establishments and other institutions are functioning normally.

The army is being gradually withdrawn from the region, but the district authorities have said that patrolling of paramilitary forces and other security arrangements will remain in place as usual.

On Monday evening, ten days after it was imposed, the administration lifted the curfew in the area, saying that the situation was again "peaceful."

Earlier, on Monday Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi visited the area to survey the situation and also meet victims of the riots.

The Prime Minister had earlier talked to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and condemned the violence.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has constituted a one-member judicial commission to probe the Muzaffarnagar violence, which has claimed over 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 earlier this month when members of a community returning from a panchayat meeting in Naglabadhod, three kilometres from Kawal, clashed with members of another community.