Congress to protest over lack of facilities in Muzaffarnagar riot camps

Lucknow: Congress in Uttar Pradesh will protest in Meerut and Lucknow over the lack of basic facilities in camps for Muzaffarnagar riot victims, and over the problems of sugarcane farmers later this month.

"The party would stage a protest in Meerut on January 21 and take out a march in Lucknow on January 30," AICC general secretary and in-charge of party affairs in the state, Madhusudan Mistry told reporters after a meeting with leaders of district and city units here. Mistry slammed ruling Samajwadi Party and its president Mulayam Singh Yadav for the disorder in the camps and accused the state government of not "spending funds even though it had enough for the purpose". "I have personally seen the disorder in the relief camps... There are no proper tents, neither is there any arrangement of potable water nor lavatories for the women," he said, adding that the farm labourers in Gujarat live in better conditions. The party would start preparing its manifesto soon, which will include issues relating to dalits, backwards and minorities, he said.