As no political leaders are being given access to riot-hit districts of Uttar Pradesh particularly Muzaffarnagar barring Congress leaders, locals alleged that now the Centre is indulging in politics and want to take mileage of the present situation in the region.
BJP leader Uma Bharti was on Tuesday arrested amid high drama in Muzaffarnagar when she tried to visit the residence of journalist Rajesh Verma, one of the victims of the communal violence. Annoyed with the police action, Uma Bharti questioned why the Gandhis were let into Muzaffarnagar on Monday if there was a bar on politicians' entry.
On Monday, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi accompanied Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were permitted to visit the riot-torn areas of the State. Though, policemen explained to Bharti that the Gandhis were allowed as they were part of PM's convoy, she refused to budge. Bharti staged a sit-in after which she was arrested. Hundreds of BJP workers raised anti-Government slogans to protest the move.
"It clearly shows that the Government is trying to take advantage of the communal tension in the region. Only Congress leaders are being allowed. This behaviour of the Government is not going to help the people of the State certainly," said Vipin Kumar, a volunteer at Kamalpur relief camp.
last week, RlD chief Ajit Singh, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad and two BJP MPs-- Rajendra Agarwal (Meerut) and Rama Shankar (Agra)-- were also detained by the police at Ghaziabad after they attempted to enter UP to visit violence-hit Muzaffarnagar district. Singh, along with his son Jayant Choudhary, an MP from Mathura were detained to prevent them from proceeding towards the trouble areas.