Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh Sunday accused BJP's Narendra Modi and Samajwadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav of fuelling riots to fulfill their ambition of becoming prime minister.
"Modi and Mulayam, both want to be prime minister... and that's why they took the help of riots," the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief said at a rally in Shamli, one of the areas hit by communal violence along with Muzaffarnagar in September last year.
"Both the riots of Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar were pre-planned. People of the state, especially youths, are unemployed and the state government is not bothered," he said.
The minister said the administration did not take timely action, leading to the huge number of deaths.
"If the administration had taken action on time, so much loss of life could have been prevented," he said.
The RLD, which is part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), has five members in the Lok Sabha.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
