Samajwadi Party committee to strengthen communal harmony in Muzaffarnagar

Samajwadi Party today constituted a "Sadbhavna Samiti" (harmony committee) comprising senior state ministers, in bid to strengthen communal ties after the Muzaffarnagar riots.

The committee headed by Shivpal Singh Yadav was constituted by party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is keeping an eye on the developments in west Uttar Pradesh after the communal violence in Muzaffarnagar, party sources said.

The committee members include - ministers Shahid Manzoor, Ramgovind Chowdhury, Ram Sakal Gurjar, Sahab Singh, Yogesh Pratap, Virendra Singh, Kamal Akhtar and Balram Yadav.

The ministers have been entrusted with the task of maintaining communal harmony by talking to people and visiting their homes, sources said adding, Mulayam held a meeting with the leaders at his residence here and directed them to camp in the affected areas to generate confidence among people.

"The leaders have been asked by Mulayam to personally visit the families of victims of both sides and inform them that the government was concerned about them," sources said.

"Our party is against communalism and wants to maintain communal harmony. We will ensure that people have trust in the government by telling them it will do whatever is needed to heal their wounds," Shahid Manzoor told reporters after coming out of the meeting.