SP govt draws flak for Ghaziabad violence, Alvi demands probe

The Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh was at the receiving end on Monday from both Congress and BJP over the violence in Ghaziabad in which six people were killed.

Senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi along with local party leaders were arrested by the police when they tried to visit Masuri, the scene of violence in Ghaziabad. They were later released.

Among those who accompanied Alvi were local Congress MLA Gajraj Singh and former MP Surendra Goyal who is the President of the District Congress Committee. Alvi demanded a judicial inquiry into the violence, alleging it was due to total failure of the administration and UP government. He appealed for communal harmony and sought compensation for the kin of those killed.

The BJP said repeated occurrence of such violence is a worrisome trend and alleged it was earlier seen in Mumbai and Assam. The party accused the state government and the Centre of failing to control the situation. "There have been six communal riots in the last six months of SP rule in UP. There is a new militancy which is growing and this is more worrisome. This needs to be tackled effectively," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

He alleged that the state government has "completely abdicated" its responsibility and duty and demanded that both the state and the Centre work together to deal with the situation. "This new militancy was earlier seen in Mumbai and also in Assam," Javadekar said.