Muzaffarnagar violence: Mulayam defends Akhilesh govt

Under fire over handling of the communal flare-up in Muzaffarnagar, Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh today defended the Akhilesh Yadav government saying it took stern measures and the situation was brought under control in two days.
"The government did everything to control the violence. It was stopped in two days. The security forces dealt with the problem very effectively," he told reporters here.
"It is because of the sterness shown by the government that the situation remained calm," Mulayam said.
There was no failure on part of the Akhilesh Yadav government in handling the situation, he said.
Reacting to allegations that the SP-led dispensation did little despite being alerted by the Home ministry about the impending violence, he said "the government was alert."

"However, several lives have been lost... The death toll is 36. It is a big number," Mulayam said.
The violence in Muzaffarnagar and its adjoining areas were not riots but was the result of caste conflict, he said.
"Whatever happened is the result of caste conflict. Even if you call it riot or caste conflict, it is very dangerous. Whatever has happened is sad and unfortunate," he said on the eve of party's two-day national working committee meeting here.