The violent clashes in Mathura, which claimed 27 lives, have given the BJP the foothold in Uttar Pradesh that it has been seeking desperately.
The violent clashes in Mathura, which claimed 27 lives, have given the BJP the foothold in Uttar Pradesh that it has been seeking desperately.
With Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh scheduled for early next year, the issue will become part of the BJP’s armoury for use against the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP). Criticising the SP, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said if SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav had “even a little bit of self-respect” left, he should sack his brother, Cabinet minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, who is accused of supporting the main accused in the incident, Ram Vriksh Yadav. Mr Shivpal Singh Yadav has denied the allegations.
Mr Shah, who was in UP for a party-related event, also said, “Akhilesh Yadavji, if you have to maintain relation of chacha-bhatija, you should tell the public that you have no relation with them.” He added that the SP government has no right to remain in power.
The BJP is now set to intensify its campaign against the SP government on the law and order issue and will begin holding demonstrations at all district headquarters from Monday. The BJP will highlight how law and order has become a casualty under the Akhilesh Yadav government, with the Mathura incident being the main focus of these demonstrations.
The Mathura incident has boosted the BJP’s efforts in eastern UP where it has been trying to gain a foothold, especially after Ajit Singh’s RLD lost much of its stronghold to it in the last general election.
BJP state unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, who had alleged that the attackers in the Mathura incident were “goons of PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav”, said his party will also submit a memorandum to the state government demanding a CBI inquiry into the incident.
A seven-member committee led by BJP MP Rajendra Agarwal will visit Mathura on Sunday for an on-the-spot inquiry about the clashes and the reasons behind it. Other members will include party MLAs Dharampal Singh and Manish Asija, MPs Satyapal Singh and Rajesh Diwakar and Mathura MP Hema Malini.
Sources disclosed that the BJP might launch a much bigger and more aggressive campaign on the deteriorating law and order situation in UP after its two-day national executive in Allahabad from June 12.
“There are questions that the chief minister must answer. Why did the state government not evict the Jawahar Bagh (occupants) when the court order came last year Why did they wait for over a year to evacuate the squatters, and on whose instructions did the delay take place Why did the intelligence unit not inform the government about the arms build-up in the park ,” said Mr Keshav Prasad Maurya.
