Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Monday alleged "political conspiracy" behind the riots in Muzaffarnagar to destabilise his government while rival BSP blamed ruling SP for the violence, escalating the political blame game over the communal strife.
"The violence is a political conspiracy to defame and destablise my government, which is doing a good job for poor, youths, Muslims and all sections of the society", Yadav said, as BJP and RLD demanded imposition of President's rule in UP.
"Political parties are trying to find ways to attack the government, they had done this earlier also. Earlier, in Shamli they tried to vitiate atmosphere of the state but it was thwarted", said Yadav, who is under attack over the violence. He was talking to reporters in Lucknow at a function to see off Haj pilgrims leaving for Mecca.
BSP chief Mayawati and RLD leader Ajit Singh blamed Samajwadi Party(SP) and BJP for the violence in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas of UP saying the two were advancing their political interests by polarising voters. They demanded imposition of central rule.
"One can see the hands of BJP and SP behind this. Lok Sabha polls are near and both the parties want to give a communal colour to the polls...it is their political gameplan," Mayawati said in New Delhi.
Union Minister and RLD supremo Ajit Singh, who was detained in Ghaziabad while entering the riot-hit areas today, said BJP wants polarisation of votes, and "so does SP".
"Both think they will gain...why did BJP send (Amit) Shah to UP - first to Ayodhya and then Mathura," questioned Singh whose party is a UPA ally.
Mayawati said both the parties are hand-in-glove to further their political interests ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
"They wanted to disturb the communal fabric of not only the state but the entire country under the garb of (VHP's) 84 kosi yatra. But people have seen through their political gameplan which stands exposed," the BSP supremo said.
Singh said since the Akhilesh government has little to show in terms of development during its rule, it is using the communal divide to get votes in the general elections.
"It is because Samajwadi Party fears the voters' ire against the government's non-performance that they have resorted to communalising the region," he said.
Both claimed that since the SP came to power in UP, the state has witnessed 100 cases of communal riots.
BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was also detained at Ghaziabad, said if proper, strong action had been taken at the appropriate time it would not have led to the current situation in Muzaffarnagar.
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