Centre ready for CBI probe in Mathura violence, says Rajnath

Amroha: Taking potshots at Chief Minister Akhikesh Yadav and his family over the recent Mathura violence, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the Centre was ready for a CBI probe into the matter provided the Uttar Pradesh Government demands the same in writing. "It is quite strange that such an incident has taken place. I don't know what is happening in Uttar Pradesh," he said while addressing a rally here. The Home Minister said it seems there is something hidden in the entire episode. "If the Uttar Pradesh Government wants the entire truth to come to the fore then they should request the Centre in writing and ask for a CBI probe," he added. Earlier in the day, the Congress cornered Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah over his demand for the ouster of Uttar Pradesh PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav in connection with the Mathura violence and wondered as to why no action was initiated against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar during the Jat agitation. Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan expressed his surprise over the BJP president making such a call. "For Amit Shah to ask for resignation is strange because during the Jat agitation Khattar's resignation was also in place in Haryana," Vadakkan said, adding there must be level playing field for resignations. Vadakkan also used the occasion to target the BJP over the controversy surrounding Eknath Khadse, saying resignation drama has been the name of the game that the BJP is following in Maharashtra too. The BJP president yesterday asked Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to demand the resignation of his younger brother and state PWD Minister Shivpal Yadav, squarely holding him responsible for the Mathura violence. "If even a little bit of self-respect is left in Netaji (Mulayam), he should get minister Shivpal Yadav to resign immediately," Shah said in Kanpur. Addressing a booth-level in-charge meet of Kanpur and Bundelkhand regions, he said: "An SP is killed in broad daylight. An SHO is killed. More than 200 people opened fire on police. But a minister (Shivpal) sitting in the secretariat patronises them and does not allow police to retaliate." Shivpal, however, hit back at the BJP president and suggested him to follow positive, ideological and development oriented politics instead of misleading the people of the state. "He has become short of issues due to better working of SP government and, therefore, he is giving baseless statements," he said. Meanwhile, the combing operation by police is still going on at Jawahar Bagh, which witnessed the deadly clash between police and a cult group on June 2 rendering 25 dead and hundreds other injured.