Mulayam's brother must apologise for his stand on Nithari: BJP

New Delhi, Jan 5 (UNI) The BJP today demanded a apology from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's brother Shiv Pal Yadav for his statement on the Nithari killings.

The party also condemned the '' apathy shown by the Chief Minister by not paying a visit to Nithari.'' "The insensitivity shown by the Minister and the brother of UP Chief Minister Sh Mulayam Singh Yadav by describing 'the Nithari killings' as a routine crime should be condemned by all law-abiding citizens of the country..." BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said.

He described the statement of Mr Shiv Pal Yadav, who is also the Energy Minister of the state, as "atrocious" and said he must ''apologise for insulting the public sentiments.'' Reiterating the party's demand for a CBI probe into the killings, Mr Javadekar said the constant refusal of the state government for the CBI probe showed that it was ''trying to hide something.'' "We feel the state government was trying to save some bigwigs. There seems to be a big conspiracy behind the heinous crimes," he added.

The details emanating of complicity of police with the accused was the result of policies of the state government ''which were protecting the corrupt officials and showing the door to honest officers,'' he said.

It was also clear now that '' the criminals in the state were doing their operations with impunity, while the honest citizen was always under threat,'' Mr Javadekar said.

"This is an unparalleled anarchic situation, which should not be allowed to deteriorate further," he said.

He said the BJP had already started its indefinite dharna to demand a CBI inquiry and ''would intensify it further until their demand was conceded.'' UNI KAS RP DS1631