Has Mathura madness which killed 24 unnerved the government?

Lucknow: Mathura violence has badly shaken the Uttar Pradesh government. It is the only conclusion one can draw from a series of developments which have taken place in the past one week. It changed decisions in quick succession , which, according to political pundits, is only a sign of nervousness.

It decided in the first place to ask Agra commissioner to hold an inquiry into the incident. Within 12 hours this decision was changed and another taken. In the order issued next the government favoured inquiry by Aligarh commissioner.

This commissioner who was asked to submit his report within 15 days took up the new assignment in right earnest, visited the site as early as possible and talked to district and other officials and non-officials.

But before he could move further the government appointed a judicial commission to go into the incident. Hurriedly, name of a retired judge was announced. There is one question which defy an answer: why didn’t the government go for a CBI probe as demanded by most of the opposition parties? Could it have caused an embarrassment , as is being believed in the opposition circles.

That many non-political people are also in favour of a CBI probe is clear from the fact that a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Supreme Court in this connection. It was rejected on technical ground. The Court ,however,asked the litigant to use proper channel and go to the High Court first. The debate on Mathura mayhem is unlikely to end soon.