The Congress on Tuesday reiterated its demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the attack on the house of Uttar Pradesh party chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who was arrested July 15 for making derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Mayawati.
"If the probe is not ordered we will launch a statewide protest. We want to expose the Mayawati government on the issue of the state sponsored act of violence, corruption and misgovernance," Akhilesh Pratap Singh, Congress spokesperson, told IANS.
Joshi was arrested July 15 and charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on charges of making derogatory remarks against Mayawati. She was granted bail by a Moradabad court July 18.
Her Lucknow house was set on fire on the night of July 15 -- allegedly by a group of ruling Bahujan Samaj party (BSP) workers -- because she made remarks that offended Mayawati both as a woman and a Dalit.
Joshi had Monday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue and briefed him about the whole incident.