New Delhi/Lucknow: The violent clashes in Mathura, which claimed 26 lives, have given the BJP the foothold in Uttar Pradesh that it has been desperately seeking.
With Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh scheduled for early next year, the issue will become part of the BJP’s armoury for use against the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP).
Criticising the SP, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said if SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav had “a little bit of self-respect” left, he should sack his brother, the Cabinet minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, who is accused of supporting the main accused in the incident, Ram Vraksh Yadav.
Mr Shivpal Singh Yadav has denied the allegations. Mr Shah, who was in UP for a party-related event, also said that the SP government has no right to remain in power. The death toll in the violent clashes between encroachers and the police at Jawahar Bagh, Mathura, on Saturday reached 27.
UP Govt raises compensation
Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday raised compensation amount to the next of kin of two slain police officers in Mathura clash from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also announced extraordinary pension to the families of two martyred policemen and job to one member from each family, an official release said.
