Mayawati wants Sonia to tender apology

New Delhi, July 16: The political war over Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s comments seems to be now developing into an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation between the BSP and the Congress, with Mayawati firing a fresh salvo on Thursday by demanding that Sonia Gandhi should tender an apology.

The BSP supreme has asked the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to tender a public apology in the floor of the Parliament. Moreover, latest news reports claim that the BSP is also reconsidering its support to the UPA and would decide on the issue by today evening.

Trying to distance it self from the torching of a section of Rita’s Lucknow home, BSP leader in the Parliament Satish Chandra Mishra claimed that BSP workers were not responsible for the incident. He instead accused Congress workers of engineering the vandalism.

“Making a comment of offering a sum of Rs.1 crore (to Mayawati) is an absolutely shameful act. Very conveniently, they (Congress leaders) got the house burnt by their own people. They have diverted the issue. It is a grave issue and should be dealt with seriously,” Mishra told a news channel.

“By burning the house, they can tell the country that whatsoever she (Joshi) said is right. The Lucknow incident is the Congress’ own creation, otherwise the whole country might be burning by now,” he added.

Meanwhile, four persons were detained today for allegedly indulging in arson at UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s residence.

“Four persons have been detained in connection with the incident and they are being interrogated. Efforts are being made to nab others involved in the incident,” Lucknow Additional District Magistrate Anil Kumar told a news agency.

However, Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh has alleged “the attack was government-sponsored and was led by a BSP MLA”. Police officers said that the role of the MLA, whose name surfaced during investigation, is also being probed. Congress’ reaction

Reacting to the incident, Congress today accused the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh of “sponsoring” the attack on its state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s house in Lucknow out of personal vendetta.

“All this has happened at the behest of UP Chief Minister….under the sponsorship of the state government. The FIR has the name of culprit Babloo Tiwari, a BSP MLA, who was spearheading the attack,” Congress leader Digvijay Singh told reporters.

“The police was told what is going to happen. When the incident took place, all senior officials were at CM’s residence… Congress will fight the way in which Mayawati government is using law to suppress its political opponents,” Singh said adding the party will fight it “at whatever level we are made to”.

Joshi was yesterday arrested in Ghaziabad district for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Mayawati.

Alleged BSP supporters had set a portion of Joshi’s house on fire besides damaging vehicles parked in the premises.

Congress party spokesperson Manish Tewari said, “ransacking the house of UPCC President is going to be the last nail in the coffin of the Mayawati government and it has stirred a hornet’s nest.”

Earlier there was a “brutal lathicharge in Amethi, where people were almost beaten to death for demanding something like electricity. And then this attack on Joshi’s house and her arrest. It’s an act of complete desperation,” he said.

Commenting on the case registered against Joshi, Tewari said, “the kind of lawlessness that persists in Uttar Pradesh, you can make out a case against anybody for anything. It just needs nothing at all.”

Singh, the AICC in-charge for UP, however said, “the comments of Rita Bahuguna Joshi were un-called for but the context should be considered in which they have been said. She herself has apologised” and wondered “which law permits Joshi’s house to be set ablaze.”

“We will fight the battle legally as far the case registered against her is concerned,” Singh said adding that the SC/ST Act has been unnecessarily been invoked.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: The political war over Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s comments seems to be now developing into an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation between the BSP and the Congress, with Mayawati firing a fresh salvo on Thursday by demanding that Sonia Gandhi should tender an apology.

The BSP supreme has asked the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to tender a public apology in the floor of the Parliament. Moreover, latest news reports claim that the BSP is also reconsidering its support to the UPA and would decide on the issue by today evening.

Trying to distance it self from the torching of a section of Rita’s Lucknow home, BSP leader in the Parliament Satish Chandra Mishra claimed that BSP workers were not responsible for the incident. He instead accused Congress workers of engineering the vandalism.

“Making a comment of offering a sum of Rs.1 crore (to Mayawati) is an absolutely shameful act. Very conveniently, they (Congress leaders) got the house burnt by their own people. They have diverted the issue. It is a grave issue and should be dealt with seriously,” Mishra told a news channel.

“By burning the house, they can tell the country that whatsoever she (Joshi) said is right. The Lucknow incident is the Congress’ own creation, otherwise the whole country might be burning by now,” he added.

Meanwhile, four persons were detained today for allegedly indulging in arson at UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s residence.

“Four persons have been detained in connection with the incident and they are being interrogated. Efforts are being made to nab others involved in the incident,” Lucknow Additional District Magistrate Anil Kumar told a news agency.

However, Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh has alleged “the attack was government-sponsored and was led by a BSP MLA”. Police officers said that the role of the MLA, whose name surfaced during investigation, is also being probed. Congress’ reaction

Reacting to the incident, Congress today accused the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh of “sponsoring” the attack on its state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s house in Lucknow out of personal vendetta.

“All this has happened at the behest of UP Chief Minister….under the sponsorship of the state government. The FIR has the name of culprit Babloo Tiwari, a BSP MLA, who was spearheading the attack,” Congress leader Digvijay Singh told reporters.

“The police was told what is going to happen. When the incident took place, all senior officials were at CM’s residence… Congress will fight the way in which Mayawati government is using law to suppress its political opponents,” Singh said adding the party will fight it “at whatever level we are made to”.

Joshi was yesterday arrested in Ghaziabad district for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Mayawati.

Alleged BSP supporters had set a portion of Joshi’s house on fire besides damaging vehicles parked in the premises.

Congress party spokesperson Manish Tewari said, “ransacking the house of UPCC President is going to be the last nail in the coffin of the Mayawati government and it has stirred a hornet’s nest.”

Earlier there was a “brutal lathicharge in Amethi, where people were almost beaten to death for demanding something like electricity. And then this attack on Joshi’s house and her arrest. It’s an act of complete desperation,” he said.

Commenting on the case registered against Joshi, Tewari said, “the kind of lawlessness that persists in Uttar Pradesh, you can make out a case against anybody for anything. It just needs nothing at all.”

Singh, the AICC in-charge for UP, however said, “the comments of Rita Bahuguna Joshi were un-called for but the context should be considered in which they have been said. She herself has apologised” and wondered “which law permits Joshi’s house to be set ablaze.”

“We will fight the battle legally as far the case registered against her is concerned,” Singh said adding that the SC/ST Act has been unnecessarily been invoked.

–Agencies