Muzaffarnagar riots: Wrong to accuse Akhilesh of inefficiency, says Mulayam Singh Yadav

AGRA: With his son’s government under fire for failing to anticipate and control the Muzaffarnagar violence, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has called the riots “caste clashes” and not communal violence, while warning of a rising tide of intolerance and calling it a “dangerous conspiracy”.

Caste Clashes: Mulayam

“Whatever happened in Muzaffaranagar was unfortunate, but they were not communal riots. It was a dangerous conspiracy. Call it communal riots or caste clashes, but there is growing lack of faith among people. This intolerance is not only in UP but elsewhere in the country also,” he said in Agra on Tuesday at a conclave attended by top party leaders. Yadav warned that “communal forces” were raising their heads and urged political parties against politicising the situation. The

Muzaffarnagar riots, which started on 27 August and have seen the dominant Jat community in western UP clashing with Muslims, have claimed 36 lives and spread to neighbouring districts such as Shamli and Meerut. Yadav, who has been silent on the issue so far, also defended the administration of his son, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, from attacks by friends and foes alike for not handling the riots well.

UP has seen more than 30 instances of communal violence since the SP government took charge last March.

‘Wrong to Accuse Akhilesh’

But the Samajwadi Party President said far from poor handling, the effective steps taken by state government had ensured that the riots were controlled within two days. “It is wrong to accuse the government of inefficiency. It was due to the effective steps they took that the riots were controlled within two days. No tension has been reported today,” he said.

He also rebutted talk that the state government did not heed alerts sent by the centre warning of communal trouble. He also dismissed reports that the centre has asked the governor to send regular updates.