Rahul Gandhi visits Muzaffarnagar relief camps: 10 latest developments

"I came here in the morning to see the situation myself. I met all people across all communities who are affected by the riots. Wherever I went, people spoke of communal harmony," Mr Gandhi said while addressing a press conference in the evening.

"The conditions in the camps are terrible, children are dying. There is no animosity with the Samajwadi Party government, but Akhilesh Yadav should do more," he added.

Mr Gandhi said that the UP government needs to do two things - focus on the conditions at the relief camps and work on mediation between different communities.

During his visit to the relief camps, the Congress No 2 urged the riot victims to return home, saying "those engineering communal riots" want them to remain at the camps as "such a situation benefits them."

While on his way from the Shamli relief camp to Muzaffarnagar district, some of the protesters showed black flags to Mr Gandhi's convoy; some of them even laid down in front of his car.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said his government too wants that these victims should go home and welcomes suggestions from Congress and Mr Rahul Gandhi.

The young Chief Minister however added that his party does not believe in politics during tragedy.

Mr Gandhi's visit to Muzaffarnagar coincided with a Jat delegation calling on Congress president Sonia Gandhi to thank her for UPA's decision to recommended reservation for jats.  

Communal riots tore through the western Uttar Pradesh town of Muzaffarnagar in September, leaving nearly 60 people dead and close to 40,000 homeless.

The violence was triggered when a young Muslim man was killed allegedly by Hindus for reportedly sexually harassing a woman. As the riots spread, thousands of people fled their homes and crowded relief camps. Nearly 4000 of them have refused to return home fearing more violence.