The Samajwadi Party government started an investigation into the Mathura violence on Sunday, even as the death toll rose to 29 with two more persons dying of injuries.
Chief Minister AkhileshYadav has increased the compensation to the two slain police officers — Santosh Yadav and Mukul Dwivedi — from Rs. 20 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh each, and announced a government job for a member of each of their families, besides a special pension. A PTI report said police and State government employees would donate Rs. 50 lakh each to the two.But not convinced by the investigation, the BJP and the BSP have demanded a CBI or a Supreme Court-monitored investigation, alleging that the accused enjoyed the patronage of Samajwadi Party leaders.
The BJP said Mr. Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle and PWD Minister, Shivpal Singh Yadav, shielded Ramvriksh Yadav — who has been declared dead — as he and his followers had illegally encroached upon Jawahar Bagh.
Aligarh Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant, the presiding officer of the probe committee, inspected the site of the clashes.
He told The Hindu that his mandate was to look into the “reasons for the incident, the shortcomings, if any, in dealing with the situation and suggestions to avoid” such incidents. “We are meeting officials and other people to gather information.” He hoped to conclude the probe in 15 days.
The BJP has formed a seven-member committee, led by Meerut MP Rajendra Agarwal, to probe the issue. Accompanied by party workers and two MPs and two MLAs, Mr. Agarwal tried to enter the site but was prevented by the police. This led to a verbal spat between them and officials.
Interestingly, Mathura MP Hema Malini and Baghpat MP Satyapal Singh, though part of the team, did not go to the site.
“If it was not possible for them to allow all of us, they could have at least given permission to the delegation. The police wants to hide the facts and are erasing crucial evidence from the spot,” Mr. Agarwal said.
Superintendent of Police (Mathura Rural) Arun Kumar Singh said that since the search operation was under way and a forensic team was working at the site, the Jawahar Bagh premises would “remain out of bounds” for everyone.
The BJP has demanded the resignation of Mr. Akhilesh Yadav and Mr. Shivpal Singh Yadav. Mr. Agarwal said Ramvriksh Yadav had even campaigned for Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav’s son Akshay Yadav.
Mr. Shivpal Singh Yadav accused the BJP of indulging in “petty politics” and reminded the party of its senior leaders’ past.
“Those seeking the resignation of the Chief Minister should tell us why during the Gujarat massacre, the then Gujarat Chief Minister [Narendra Modi] did not resign even after the counsel of the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” the PWD Minister said. He said the incident happened because of an administrative lapse. “The inquiry is on, the guilty will be punished.”
