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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday questioned the actions taken by the Central Government post the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi alleged that the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the ruling Congress Party are having a common aim of creating a fear psychosis among Muslims to polarise votes in their favour.
"That's why they are hand-in-glove in Delhi they are running the government with their mutual support, and in Lucknow they are trying to have a fake fighting," he added.
Trivedi dubbed Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's visit to riot-hit Muzaffarnagar as extremely unfortunate.
Trivedi said: "I am saying unfortunate? The reason being it has come very late and without any effective action. When everybody was watching that the Samajwadi Party Government of UP has totally failed on the constitutional, administrative and political aspect. And, all political parties cutting the across party lines, have asked for the dismissal of the government and imposition of the President's rule."
"But this Congress Government, forget about the imposition of President's rule. They not even done a single thing to intervene in the government, they have not issued any warning to the government, and even, they have not taken pains to issue any advisory to the government," he added.
The Prime Minister, who visited the clashes-affected areas of Bassi Kalan, Taawli and Barvala earlier in the day, said the perpetrators of Muzaffarnagar violence will be given strict punishment.
Dr. Singh also assured the Centre's full support to the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh Government in tackling the situation arising out of the Muzaffarnagar violence.
"I, Soniaji and Rahul Gandhi have come here to join you in your pain and sorrow and to make an assessment of the incident. This is a very tragic incident,and whoever is responsible for this, must be duly punished. It is the duty of the government to safeguard life and property so that people can once again settle in their homes," Dr. Singh told media at Bassi Kalan.
"The Centre will fully support the U P Government. And, in addition, our efforts will be to ensure that strict action is taken against all those responsible for the riot," he added.
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, who accompanied the Prime Minister on his visit, interacted with a number of victims and consoled them.
Minister of State for Home R.P.N. Singh and Uttar Pradesh Governor B.L. Joshi were also present.
The Prime Minister had earlier talked to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and condemned the violence.
Expressing his grief and shock over the loss of innocent lives, Dr. Singh had assured Chief Minister Yadav that the Centre will extend all required assistance to the state government in tackling the situation.
The visit of the Congress top brass to Muzaffarnagar comes a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav visited the riot-hit district and ssured people that strict action will be taken against those responsible for the disturbances.
He also said that one family member of those killed would be given a government job.
The Chief Minister has already sanctioned 10 lakh rupees of relief for the families of those killed.
Meanwhile, the situation in the affected areas of the state is limping back to normal. The curfew relaxation in the city areas of Muzaffarnagar continued for the seventh day today. While day curfew has been lifted, it will continue during the night.
People are out of their houses performing routine work during the curfew relaxation period. Schools and colleges today reopened after a week.
Scores of senior officials, including Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arun Kumar and others, are constantly camping in trouble-hit Muzaffarnagar.
The Uttar Pradesh Government has constituted a one-member judicial commission to probe the Muzaffarnagar violence, which has claimed over 40 lives.
The commission, which would mainly look into administrative lapses, if any, in controlling the violence, would submit its report to the government within two months.
Violence broke out in the Kawal area of Muzaffarnagar earlier this month when members of a community returning from a panchayat meeting in Naglabadhod, three kilometres from Kawal, clashed with members of another community.
