Prime Minister Manmohan Singh came under sharp attack from Opposition parties and allies over his visit to the riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP called the visit “secular tourism” while the BSP termed it as a “drama”. Dr Singh was accompanied by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress’ heir-apparent Rahul Gandhi.
Samajwadi Party (SP), which is an outside supporter of the UPA government, sarcastically hit out at Dr Singh saying that the visit is good as polls are round the corner.
Criticising the Prime Minister, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “One month after the communal violence took place in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav visited the area yesterday. Today, the Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul have gone there for secular tourism.” He added, “The way secular tourism is being undertaken over the issue of communal riots, it will not help provide any kind of compensation to the dead and will not heal the wounds of riot victims.”
Mr Naqvi also took potshots at both the Central and state government by saying, they are taking a secular ride on the communal riots which took place under the nose of the central government and in front of the eyes of the UP government. “These riots — sponsored by the UP government — have continued to play out and these forces have fanned them by giving protection to the rioters,” he said.
“In this question-answer between state and Central government, the common man gets squeezed and kept dying and is now feeling helpless,” he added.
Demanding a court-monitored investigation into the riots, Mr Naqvi said, “Had such a riot taken place in a BJP-ruled state Congress would have created an uproar... A court should be investigating the matter. There is so much fear among the people and such a large number have had to flee.”
Questioning the move to allow Sonia and Rahul to visit the violence-affected areas when BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad was denied permission, he said, “Even a Central minister (Ajit Singh) was not permitted to go there. They were told if they visit the place the situation will worsen. But the Prime Minister, the Super Prime Minister and Yuvraj went there only to rub salt on the wounds of the victims.”
Expressing regret at the Centre for not having intervened at the right time to avert the tragedy, BJP president Rajnath Singh said the situation in riot-hit areas has taken a turn for the worse.
“Today, Uttar Pradesh is burning. Ever since the SP government has come there, the communal harmony in the state has been destroyed,” he said.