Jitin Prasada suggests UP CM Akhilesh Yadav should quit

NEW DELHI: Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh and union minister Jitin Prasada today suggested Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav quit in the wake of communal violence in Muzaffarnagar.

"If I were in Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's place, I would have stepped down taking moral responsibility," Prasada told PTI about the state ruled by UPA's outside supporter Samajwadi Party.

He said it is after 20 years that the state witnessed such kind of violence and the army is out on the streets.

Prasada slammed Samajwadi Party, alleging it was hand-in-glove with BJP and trying and criminalise things in the run up to the elections.

He said the Centre had, from time to time, given necessary inputs to the state governemnt to ensure that these flare-ups do not take place.

"Twenty one years have passed since such kind of violence has erupted in the state. The army is on the streets. This was unheard of. Today's youth does not know this kind of politics and this kind of situation," Prasada said.

When pointed out that his party is soft on the SP government in the state, he said "there is no question of being soft on any government especially when incidents like this happen where over 40 people have died and communal passions have flared up."

Congress had yesterday brushed aside demands for imposition of President's rule in Uttar Pradesh, saying it is time for the Centre and the state to work to restore peace.