Akhilesh welcomes Rahul Gandhi's visit to Muzaffarnagar

Akhilesh-YadavShamli, (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 23 : Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav on Monday welcomed suggestions from Congress Prime Ministerial candidate Rahul Gandhi to help riot-hit victims in Muzaffarnagar.

"Everyone wants victims of Muzaffarnagar riots to return to their homes. The government has helped them a lot and I have also said that if any political party or leader wants to give any suggestions regarding this, we are all ears to it. If Rahul Gandhi has got any suggestions from the victims, with the help of which the people can return to their homes, they should tell us. We will also discuss this within our party and talk to people as to how these people can return to their homes and steps will be taken in this regard soon," said Yadav.

Rahul Gandhi, on Sunday interacted with people hit by India's worst communal violence in a decade in northern Uttar Pradesh, languishing in relief camps.

Gandhi visited the victims in Shamli district. He began his visit by meeting victims at the Malakpur relief camp. Later, he also held interactions at nearby Khurgan and Barnavi camps. He is likely to visit several more camps.

Muzaffarnagar riot victims complain that the government has turned a deaf ear towards their problems.

Forty-five people have died in the prosperous sugarcane district of Muzaffarnagar and surrounding areas since clashes erupted between Muslims and Hindu Jats.

Earlier, over 40 children died in the relief camps due severe weather conditions, dengue outbreak and lack of basic hygiene.

The clashes were triggered on August 27 when a Muslim youth was stabbed to death by two Hindu youths after being accused of sexually harassing their sister. A Muslim mob stoned the two Hindus to death. (ANI)