UP govt failed to stop riots despite warning: Centre

The Central government had warned the UP government well in advance about the communal tension, says RPN Singh

The Centre today came down heavily on Uttar Pradesh government for its alleged failure to prevent riots in Muzaffarnagar and said people of the state have lost complete faith in the Samajwadi Party dispensation.

Minister of State for Home RPN Singh, who accompanied Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to Muzaffarnagar, said the Akhilesh Yadav government did not act on Centre's warning about possible communal violence.

"The Central government had warned the UP government well in advance about the communal tension. The Home Minister (Sushilkumar Shinde) spoke to the Chief Minister. But they ignored the warning. The state government did not listen to the warning. They even did not stop the (Jat) Mahapanchayat despite warning. You know, law and order is a state subject," he told reporters here.

Singh said during their visit, the riots affected people told the Prime Minister and the Central leaders that they have completely lost faith in the SP government as they have failed to provide security and stop the communal violence.

"It is extremely distressing to hear people telling the Prime Minister, UPA chairperson and Rahul Gandhi that they have completely lost faith in the state government. They said they felt secure only after arrival of central forces and the Army," he said.