Muzaffarnagar: Rahul Gandhi yesterday lashed out at Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh for the “poor” conditions in the relief camps for the riot-affected and death of children belonging to displaced families.
“The condition in camps is very bad. Children are dying there. There is need for government to help them,” he told reporters after visiting five relief camps. Other than the relief camps, Gandhi also visited a Jat dominated village from where the riots had started in August. 43 people are said to have been killed in the clashes. Gandhi charged the SP government with not doing enough for the affected people to ensure their return and rehabilitation.
“A young chief minister is there. He should put some focus to improve the conditions in camps and do the mediation,” he said.
Gandhi was shown black flags and his cavalcade was stopped by about 200 protesters who shouted, “Rahul Gandhi, down, down”.
Asked about protests, Gandhi said “It is not the people but workers of SP who are angry.”
He expressed concern over the condition of the displaced people.
“Two things need to be done. The first is to better the conditions in camps, the second is to set things right among people through mediation and by talking to them. “Wherever I went people said it is was the handiwork of communal forces and that there is no enmity but brotherhood among them,” Gandhi told reporters.
He spent almost the entire day in the area and met people from both communities.
“I have seen the situation prevailing here with my eyes. I met people of all communities, who were affected by the riots. Wherever I went people talked about bhaichara (brotherhood). They talked about amity from their heart....”
