Amar meets PM, demands judicial probe into Delhi encounter

New Delhi, Oct 8 (UNI) Undeterred by the Congress and BJP criticism of his stand on the Jamia Nagar encounter, Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure a judicial probe into the September 19 incident.

Mr Singh made the demand when he called on the Prime Minister here this morning.

Reiterating his contention that there were several question marks over the genuineness of the Batla House encounter in which an alleged terrorist involved in the September 13 Delhi blasts had been killed, Mr Singh said it was vital to bring out the truth so that harassment of the innocents did not take place.

He reacted strongly to AICC secretary Satyrabrat Chaturvedi's comment on his stand on the Batla House encounter, saying he would not like to comment on the remarks of ''such insignificant leaders''.

Mr Chaturvedi had earlier said that Mr Amar Singh had lost his mental balance for doubting the genuineness of the encounter.

The Samajwadi Party leader had visited Batla House a few days back and had also offered to provide legal aid to the students who had been arrested on terror charges.

Mr Singh told reporters after the meeting that he also impressed upon the Prime Minister the need for banning the Bajrang Dal and all such organisations, irrespective of their religious allegiance, which were spreading hatred and indulging in violence.

The SP leader said he urged the Prime Minister to take some immediate steps to instill a sense of security in the minorities.

Replying to questions on the seat sharing talks with the Congress, he said the leaders of the two parties would again meet on October 14 to sort out the matter.

Earlier, talking to reporters in Panaji yesterday, Mr Singh had demanded resignation of Home Minister Shivraj Patil saying he should moral responsibility for the Batla House encounter in which a police inspector lost his life.

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