CM terms Mau riots blot on govt; rules out Army deployment
Lucknow | October 17, 2005 5:46:59 PM IST
Admitting that Mau communal riots were a ''blot'' on his two-year-old government, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today ruled out deployment of the Army in the trouble-torn district.Dismissing demands of the Opposition BJP and BSP in this regard the Chief Minister today said the district administrative machinery had been overhauled and was fit to deal with the situation. Mr Yadav ordered a high-level probe into the incident and announced that Revenue Board Chairperson Neera Yadav, along with two other senior officers, would probe the violence and submit a report ''at the most in three weeks.'' He said since a judicial inquiry took a lot of time, he was ordering a ''high level probe'' instead. Addressing the media here, the Chief Minister conceded that the situation could not be brought under control in two days, but maintained that the eastern district was peaceful for the past 24 hours. ''Seven people have died so far and 36 others are injured...the toll can rise by evening as bodies could be found in isolated areas...the deceased included four Hindus and three Muslims,'' he added. Quoting official figures, the Chief Minister informed that so far 242 people had been rounded up which included 79 arrests today. The Samajwadi Party supremo claimed that the situation would not be allowed to spiral out of control in rural areas as was being projected in the media. ''The new team of district and police officials is in place and the situation would surely calm down.'' He said the government was making all out efforts to ensure that the repeat of Mau did not happen elsewhere. The Chief Minister said Azamgarh commissioner B D Singh, DIG (Range) Prabhat Kumar, Mau DM Hiramani Singh Yadav and SP A R Prasad had failed to bring the situation under control within 48 hrs therefore, ''I have replaced them.'' To a poser on the role of controversial mafia don and Independent MLA from Mau Mukhtar Ansari in instigating mobs, Mr Yadav said an inquiry had already been ordered to look into these allegations. ''No one would be spared if found guilty,'' Mr Yadav asserted. Yesterday, Mr Yadav had met UP Governor T V Rajeswar and urged upon him to postpone his proposed visit to Mau till the situation was brought under control. ''He suggested that both of us could visit Mau. But I suggested since the district administration was busy restoring peace to the riot-torn area it would be better if the tour was postponed for the time being... and he agreed,'' Mr Yadav added. UNI NAB-SB NR HT1615
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