"The question of law and order is directly connected with the state as it is the prime responsibility of the state...If they ask for help we can give, but the Constitution does not permit us to directly intervene in it," he said.
His remarks came a day after Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said stern action will be taken in the matter "even if we have to sacrifice the government."
"It could be true that some persons might be trying to take mileage by creating communal tension but in a healthy democracy this should not be done," he said.
Mulayam had yesterday claimed that the Dadri incident was a "pre-planned" conspiracy hatched by three persons of a particular party and that they were also behind the 2013 riots in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district.
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"I have already said such incidents are unfortunate but Centre has certain limitations," he said.
"Efforts should be to maintain communal amity and brotherhood...This is the primary and moral duty of all political parties and they should fulfill it," he said.
On the recent violence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi, Singh said Modi has given the responsibility to him as the home minister and wherever necessary, he takes up the matter with the states.