Govt rejects demand for judicial probe into Kosi Kalan

In his reply,parliamentary affairs minister Azam Khan said no assurance for a judicial inquiry had been made in the House in the past. He said he would communicate to the chief minister the sentiments expressed by the members of the House.

Azam countered BJP legislature party leader Hukum Singh’s allegation that police were trying to maintain a balance in the number of people arrested in connection with the incident. Azam said there is peace in Mathura and the government is in full control of the law and order situation.

He also told the House that the government would get the incident probed thoroughly. “Why did the police fail to check the violence? Who are the culprits? I am not defending the government. Whatever happened will be probed,” Azam said.

He said the incident was a challenge for the state government. “Whatever happened in during those four or five hours,the government is not feeling well about it,” Azam said.

Leader of Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya said the law and order situation in the state was deteriorating fast. “Now it is a question of safety of the lives of common people. Incident like murders and rape are taking place in various parts of the state. The Kosi Kalan incident shows the apathy of the administration,” he said,and pointed out that Mathura had never witnessed communal riots before. He demanded a probe into the incident by a sitting high court judge.

Referring to the naming of BSP leader and member of UP legislative council Choudhari Lekhraj Singh in the murder of twin brothers during the violence,Maurya said Choudhari was present in the House on June 1 — the day the riot took place. He left for Mathura by train at 3 pm that day and reached there around midnight. Azam said the government would look into the matter.

Hukum Singh said the administration must act impartially in such incidents. He said the transfer of officials was not enough and those who showed laxity must face stern action. Apart from a probe by a sitting high court judge,Singh also demanded that a delegation of all party leaders be sent to Mathura.

RLD MLA Tejpal Singh,who represents Kosi Kalan,said the incident had much to do with local body elections and the byelection to Manth Assembly seat. He alleged that capturing of Waqf properties by a BSP leader was another factor.

Congress MLA from Mathura Pradeep Mathur expressed his concern over the migration of people from Kosi Kalan following the communal violence.