Noida: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has said little on the murders of children in Nithari village, but his brother PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav has created a controversy.
Shivpal Singh, UP's Public Works Department Minister, on Thursday raised eyebrows by describing the murders as “small and routine incidents”.
"Such small incidents keep happening," Shivpal Singh Yadav was quoted by agencies as saying after visiting Nithari village to distribute additional compensation of Rs 3 lakh each to the parents of the victims.
The first UP minister to have visited the area since the gruesome killings came to light, Shivpal Singh Yadav also backed the police, saying they are the ones who have unearthed the entire case.
"Acting on the directions of the government, the police have worked out the case," says he, just a day after the government suspended two senior police officials and sacked six for negligence in handling the missing persons cases in the area.
On demands for a CBI probe, Yadav says, "The case has already been unravelled. If it is handed over to CBI, there will only be delay."
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Probe on amid flip-flops
In a sign that the Centre was taking the killings seriously while treading carefully vis-à-vis Uttar Pradesh, a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh discussed the issue although it was not on the agenda.
A minister later said the killings were a "blot on civilised society".
Minister of State for Home Affairs Prakash Jaiswal is the first Central minister to visit Nithari village. Jaiswal interacted with the bereaved families and condemned the murders.
"It is one of the most unfortunate incidents and the state government should speed up investigation," Jaiswal told IANS.
After criticising the Uttar Pradesh police for not recording the complaints of the children’s families, he says he has faith that the state government would probe the case thoroughly and ensure justice.
"The situation should not have happened nor should it ever happen in future," Jaiswal says.
Jaisal also made it clear that the Central Government had not formed any committee to probe the killings.
"The law and order is a state subject and it is (only) the state government that is probing the police negligence," says Jaisal.
Meanwhile, BJP President Rajnath Singh on Thursday reiterated the party's demand for the resignation of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and a CBI probe into the gory killings.
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