In remarks that could stoke a controversy, senior Congress leader and Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma on Wednesday alleged "match-fixing" over Samajwadi party government's ban on VHP's yatra from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
Verma's remarks came at a time when Congress was keen to take all parties on board for the passage of the Food Security Bill and also other leaders of the party avoiding an attack on the UPA's outside ally. "Food Security Bill is hanging. I am not speaking against Mulayam Singh Yadav. There is match fixing.
This is a case of friendly fight," a smiling Verma told reporters when asked about the controversy over the ban. Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal, however, steered clear of questions about Verma's charge suggesting there is match-fixing between SP and BJP on the issue.
"I cannot say that there was match-fixing. How can I say that. I cannot comment on what Verma said or not. I have not heard of that," he said. However, the SP got the support for its decision to ban the Yatra from Minority Affairs Minister K Rahman Khan, who said the UP government has taken a "correct decision".
"UP government has taken a correct decision because the only intention of this Yatra is to disturb peace, when the government has to maintain law and order. It is a good decision on the part of UP government. "It depends upon the government of UP what decision they will take based upon the law and order issue.
They are better one to know the situation. I do not believe that banning this Yatra would bring the issue to centrestage," Khan said. Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh accused the BJP of trying to "communalise and polarise" politics to win elections. He said this was "obvious" from the day Amit Shah, Narendra Modi's close aide, was made the BJP general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh by BJP President Rajnath Singh.
"There is nothing new in it. There is no surprise. Because that is their agenda---Communalise, polarise and try to win an election. That is BJP's formula, the BJP's strategy from the beginning. What is so new about it?," he told reporters New Delhi.
Congress spokesperson Afzal said it was the state government's responsibility to look into the law and order aspect adding "nobody can be allowed to spoil the atmosphere of peace." Afzal said that the larger issue is that people of Uttar Pradesh and the nation as a whole should be "cautious against the designs of communal forces".
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