UP government in denial mode over riots: BJP

The BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit Monday lashed out at the SP government for alleging the former had a role in the communal clashes in the state.

Attacking the Samajwadi Party (SP) government for billing the communal clashes in Saharanpur as a "caste conflict", state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak told reporters the Akhilesh Yadav government had gone in a denial mode.

He said the state government is shirking away from its responsibility and blaming other parties without any proof or evidence.

Pathak added that instead of giving answers for the failing law and order in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has decided to cover its tracks by raising the communal versus secular bogey.

Recalling how SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav last year termed the Muzaffarnagar riots a "caste conflict", the BJP leader said the same "instrument of diverting attention from the real issue - failure of the government" was being used again.

He added the state government was allowing small incidents to snowball into major flashpoints.

He pointed out how a mere eve-teasing incident was mishandled and riots broke out in Muzaffarnagar, claiming 63 lives and rendering thousands homeless.

"In Saharanpur too, instead of getting the court directive implemented in letter and spirit, the district administration took sides and the situation spun out of control," Pathak pointed out.

Violence broke out in Saharanpur Saturday after a land dispute verdict by the high court led to some construction work on the land claimed by a gurdwara.

In Kaanth village of Moradabad too, he added, an RTI query has revealed the loudspeakers in a Shiva temple are in place for many years.

Pathak questioned as to what was the need to suddenly pull those down.

Tension gripped the Kaanth area Saturday as the BJP refused to back out of its proposed protest against district officials for victimising its cadres.

The BJP spokesman said the party will continue to play a responsible opposition and will not deter in raising problems of the people.