Accusing the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of playing politics over the Muzaffarnagar riots, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday demanded imposition of President's Rule in Uttar Pradesh.
"I think the BJP and the SP are hand-in-glove. Both the parties want to create communal tension in the run up to the polls. Both parties are together in this and trying to play dirty politics," Mayawati told media here.
"Law and order has deteriorated in UP from the time Samajwadi Party came into power.
Samajwadi Party government is responsible for increase in crime against women and the communal situation," she said.
"We demand the SP government be dismissed by the Governor and President's rule be imposed. I had met the Governor two months ago and requested him to recommend that the SP government be dismissed. But unfortunately, he kept quiet in this regard.
It seems he became active in this matter now when the Union Home Ministry demanded a report," she added.
More From This Section
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh administration has suspended the Station House Officer (SHO) of Fugana and arrested over 90 persons following the riots in Muzaffarnagar, where 28 people have died and more than three dozen were injured in communal violence over the weekend.
Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Law and Order Arun Kumar informed Monday that 35 more people have been arrested since Sunday, taking the total number of arrests to 90.
"90 arrests have been made and raids been conducted. One Inspector has been suspended. We are stopping the people from coming here," said Kumar.
"Maximum (unwanted) incidents took place in Fugana. So, Fugana SHO has been placed under suspension," he added.
Kumar, who confirmed that 28 people have lost their lives so far following the violence, further said that no untoward incident has been reported since last afternoon.
According to a television channel, four BJP MLAs and a former Congress MP have been booked for Muzaffarnagar riots.
Top officials, including Saharanpur Divisional Commissioner S K Srivastava, DIG D C Mishra and Meerut I G Brijbhushan, have been shunted out. Four IG-level officers have now been sent to Meerut, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Bagpat to control the situation.
The administration has issued shoot-at-sight orders, as the violence has spread to the rural areas. The violence spread to Baghpat district late last night, where one person was killed and four others injured.
The army staged the flag march and took over law and order responsibilities in the districts of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. The army has also been deployed in Meerut.
Violence broke out in the Kawal area of Muzaffarnagar on Saturday when members of a community returning from a panchayat meeting in Naglabadhod, three kilometres from Kawal, clashed with members of another community.