Centre ready for CBI probe into Mathura clashes: Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the Centre was ready for a CBI probe into Mathura violence that claimed 29 lives, provided Uttar Pradesh government demands it.

“Thousands of people had grabbed land in Mathura and the state government was unaware. If state government demands a CBI probe, we are ready for it,” he said here.

Singh was addressing a rally where he highlighted various schemes of the Narendra Modi government during its two years in office.

Earlier this week as well, Singh had dared the state government to recommend a CBI probe into the Mathura clashes.

Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a judicial probe into the Mathura violence.

The probe will be conducted by a retired judge of Allahabad High Court and the inquiry committee has been asked to submit its report within two months.

Two police officers, were among the 29 people killed during the clashes between encroachers and police in Mathura last week.

The violence had claimed the lives of Superintendent of Police (City) Mukul Dwivedi and SHO Santosh Kumar.

Political parties had been demanding a judicial inquiry into the violence. BJP’s Mathura MP Hema Malini had demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Prakash Javedkar held the SP government responsible for the Mathura incident.

“It’s shameful that such incident took place near DM and other government offices in Mathura. Why is the state government not demanding CBI probe into it,” he said in Firozabad.

He said that after witnessing misrule of SP and BSP, people of the state are now in favour of BJP.