A house is set on fire after clashes between the police and the encroachers who were being evicted from Jawaharbagh in Mathura. (PTI photo)
BJP today mounted an all-out attack on the Samajwadi Party government in UP over the Mathura clash, saying it was an example of "goondaraj" prevailing in the state which was witnessing "unprecedented" number of attacks on police by criminals enjoying its "patronage".
With the firefight between encroachers and police leaving 24 dead, including two police officers, the party said there were 1,044 cases of assault on cops during the SP rule and demanded a judicial probe into the Mathura incident.
"What happened in Mathura is a living example of the image of goondaraj in Uttar Pradesh that the Samajwadi Party has built over the years.
"If the DGP and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav cannot protect police officers, can they be expected to protect common citizens? Should not Akhilesh Yadav take moral responsibility for what has happened," party spokesperson Sambit Patra told a press conference.
He also posed five questions to the state government, wondering if it was possible for the main accused to illegally capture the land in the city without patronage from the ruling party.
Mr Patra also asked as to how cops were allowed to go to the spot without due preparation and intelligence inputs as it has come to light that criminals were heavily armed and had taken position over trees to shoot at cops.
He cited a host of incidents, including in Azamgarh, Tunda, Bareilly and Badayun, where cops were attacked by criminals.
Party president Amit Shah sent national secretary Shrikant Sharma to take stock of the situation.
Mr Sharma said killing of policemen was "height of anarchy" and alleged that the policemen were ill-prepared to control the mob as "they were under pressure from the administration to go easy as land-grabbers had links" with the ruling party.
"The ruling party first had over 280 acres of land captured by these criminals. The main conspirator in the case has full protection of the Samajwadi Party. Policemen were sent to the spot with their hands tied and this is why two of them died. BJP seeks a judicial probe," he said.
"This state government has become a blot and people will wipe it away during the polls" for the state Assembly next year, he said.