Muzaffarnagar riots: Congress protests near UP Assembly complex

LUCKNOW: Holding UP government responsible for the Muzaffarnagar violence which claimed 47 lives, Congress today staged a protest near the Legislative Assembly complex here, demanding immediate resignation of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Led by Congress legislature party leader Pradip Mathur, party workers and youth activists raised slogans against the Akhilesh government, alleging that it was a failure on all fronts.

"There is a nexus with communal people... The government is responsible for the riots in Muzaffarnagar and we demand resignation of Akhilesh Yadav," Mathur said.

He alleged that the riots in Muzaffarnagar were a political conspiracy of the SP and BJP to polarise votes ahead of next year's general elections.

"The communal violence in Muzaffarnagar has proved that the Samajwadi Party and BJP are hand-in-glove to polarise votes," he charged.

Alleging that the government had failed to maintain law and order in the state, the Congress leader claimed that during SP's 548 days of rule in UP, there had been 107 cases of riots and clashes, which show that every fifth day, the law and order broke down.

Mathur demanded suspension of the District Magistrate, IG and DIG for failing to control the situation in Muzaffarnagar.

AICC secretary Zubair Khan and former UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi were also present during the protest.