Despite the Akhilesh Yadav dispensation’s failure to contain communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and its spread, the Congress and the Centre have adopted a mild approach towards the UPA Government’s outside supporter Samajwadi Party and ruled out the imposition of President’s Rule in the State.
“It is time for both the Centre and State to work to restore peace. It is not time for President’s Rule (imposition),” Congress spokesperson Bhakta Charan Das said when asked whether the Centre was planning to impose President’s Rule.
About UP Governor Bl Joshi sending a critical report about the performance of the State Government, Das retorted, “I have not seen the report, so I cannot comment on it.”
Terming the communal violence as unfortunate and condemnable, he said that this is the time to perform rajdharma which means to strongly handle the situation to contain violence.
The Centre had issued advisory to the State Government on September 6 and the Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde
had spoken to Akhilesh on Saturday warning him about the possibility of communal violence, he said, adding that the responsibility of containing violence is of the State Government.
He indirectly hit at the BJP saying that political parties are trying to polarise the situation by inciting violence in view of the coming elections.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari also termed the riots unfortunate and regrettable but said that since law and order is the State subject, the principal responsibility is of the UP Government to take measures to check violence and if it wants, the Centre will provide help and support.
When pointed out that the Congress never took such lenient view of Gujarat riots, Manish said that it is not the time to analyse the situation but to control it. He instead advised media to act sensitively and responsibly.