PM speaks to Akhilesh, says will extend all help to UP

Manmohan Singh condemns Muzaffarnagar violence, expresses shock over loss of innocent lives

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has spoken to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav about steps being taken to restore peace in the areas which witnessed violence recently. 

 

Condemning the sectarian violence in UP, the PM has assured Akhilesh of all required help from the Centre in tackling the situation. 

 

Earlier, the Centre offered to provide additional paramilitary forces to Uttar Pradesh to assist the local administration in dealing with the situation.

 

Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said 5,000 paramilitary force personnel have already been sent to violence-hit areas of Uttar Pradesh, in addition to Army personnel.

 

"If necessary, we are ready to provide more forces," he told reporters.

 

The police on Monday detained Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh and his son Jayant while they were on their way to riot-hit Muzaffarnagar where curfew remained in force and the death toll in communal clashes climbed to 28.

 

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad and several other BJP leaders too have been detained at the Ghaziabad border and not allowed to go to Muzaffarnagar.

 

Meannwhile, the Samajwadi Party government began probing the role of politicians in sectarian violence.

Senior officials have described the situation as tense but under control and said the curfew will continue for a few days. No violence was reported in the district after midnight last night.

Cases were slapped against 1,000 people while Governor BL Joshi sent a report to the Centre blaming the state government.

 

With violence in Muzaffarnagar refusing to abate in many rural areas, the district administration on Monday gave shoot-at-sight orders against rioters, officials said. Three senior police officials were also transferred.

 

Officials said apart from army, 10,000 Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel, 1300 CRPF men and 1200 Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed.

(With IANS inputs)