Mehar case: Vajpayee seeks President146;s Rule

Three days on, Mehar Bhargava8217;s death has snowballed into a political issue. After the bedlam in the State Assembly a day earlier, Tuesday saw Atal Behari Vajpayee demanding President8217;s rule in Uttar Pradesh, after his visit to the Bhargava family house here.

Three days on, Mehar Bhargava8217;s death has snowballed into a political issue. After the bedlam in the State Assembly a day earlier, Tuesday saw Atal Behari Vajpayee demanding President8217;s rule in Uttar Pradesh, after his visit to the Bhargava family house here.

The former prime minister castigated the Mulayam government for its inept handling of the case, saying, 8216;8216;I am at a loss to understand why the state government hesitates to transfer the case to CBI.8217;8217;

Stressing that Uttar Pradesh needs 8216;8216;kendra ka shashan8217;8217;, he said: 8216;8216;I spoke to Mulayam on Monday evening, and he assured me that the criminals have been identified and would soon be arrested. But this evening has also passed without any new development in the case. I am surprised the criminals are yet to be arrested. Jitni der ho gayee kafi hai there is already enough delay.8217;8217;

Earlier in the day, former Union Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal, Governor T V Rajeswar and former CM Mayawati visited the Bhargava house. Jaiswal told The Indian Express that he will request the state government to transfer the case to CBI.

Vajpayee, who visited the family in the evening, called Mehar8217;s murder a challenge for civilised society and announced plans to build a memorial to keep alive her sacrifice for inculcating a sense of 8216;8216;self-respect8217;8217; among women.

8216;8216;This case has several aspects, and there is an effort to cover up the crime. There is political pressure as well, but the State Government should not hesitate in seeking the Centre8217;s help in arresting the criminals,8217;8217; he said.

Stressing on the rising crime graph in UP, Vajpayee said, 8216;8216;Every aspect of the crime must be exposed, and the real criminal must be put behind the bars. The state government should accept it as a challenge.8217;8217;

Vajpayee said though he realised no state government

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wants to forego its right, 8216;8216;there should be an exception in this case8217;8217; and asked for the probe to be transferred to CBI.