New Delhi, July 21: The ongoing war between Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party continue (BSP), as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati rewarded BSP MP Intezar Abdi – who is allegedly behind the burning of Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s house.
Abdi has been given the Deputy Chairmanship of the UP Sugar Corporation. Abdi is the BSP leader who allegedly led the mob that torched Joshi’s residence
Meanwhile, the Congress is already on the offensive with the BSP in UP, and has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry into the incident. The Congress now says Intezar’s appointment proves a BSP hand behind the burning of Joshi’s house.
“The man responsible for burning down my house has been rewarded with
the post of Deputy Chairmanship of Sugar Corporation. We demand a CBI enquiry,” said Joshi.
Joshi sorry but doesn’t trust Mayawati for ‘justice’
On Sunday Joshi rejected the state government’s order that the Crime Branch will probe the attack on her house and demanded that the CBI investigate the matter.
“I demand that the CBI probe what happened at my house in Lucknow. My party also wants this, because what happened is a state-sponsored crime,” said Joshi, whose house in Lucknow was set on fire on Wednesday night by a group of alleged BSP workers for her speech against Chief Minister Mayawati.
“The UP administration definitely had a hand in burning my house and it happened with Mayawati’s consent. I don’t trust just the UP government,” she added. Joshi is out on interim bail after being arrested on Thursday and she has been charged under a law to prevent harassment of Dalits.
“Mayawati and BSP workers are responsible for all this. And now the guilty is being rewarded,” said Congress leader Subodh Shrivastav.
Meanwhile, Joshi also said she was “embarrassed” by her statements but didn’t intend to hurt any individual or caste. “I was embarrassed but my intention was not to demean any individual, forget about a caste,” she said. “I am sorry for what I said.”
–Agencies