Akhilesh Yadav visits riot-hit Muzaffarnagar

Muzaffarnagar: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav visited Muzaffarnagar today, a week after the communal violence started there which has claimed at least 48 lives and displaced more than 40,000 people. His government has faced considerable flak over a series of riots in the state during his 18-month tenure so far.

He addressed the media after the visit. Here are the highlights:

• Those who used to live together, farm together, participated in each other's events. We have to bring back those days
• We are giving Rs 10 lakhs to the family of the dead
• One member if the family will get a govt job
• If police arrangement is adequate they can return home also
• The government will repair their homes
• We will also act on the report of the single-judge commission that is investigating the matter
• There should be no politics in these matters; situation got out of hand because of politicization
• Please give me the name of the official who told you he wasn't empowered by the government
• The government decided to deploy the Army and also called in central forces immediately
• An inquiry is on.
  
• Samajwadi Party has always fought against communal forces 
• We will get a report after September 27 and we will take action against anyone found guilty irrespective of stature
  
• Do not compare this incident to other places (Godhra)
• Commission will also inquire why did the government officials not have prior intelligence 
• On CBI inquiry: We have an inquiry commission and we'll act after we get the report
  
• Gun licences have been cancelled in a few areas and if such cartridges have been recovered, it is a matter of concern
• I have missed some villages like Phaguna where there have been incidents due to paucity of time.
• I met people of these affected villages at the camps
• We have to be vigilant that  people are not able to disturb communal harmony
  
• We are looking into reports that there were people from outside who were involved in the flare-up
• I appeal to people not to pay heed to rumours