Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi on July 19 rejected the state government’s order that the Crime Branch will probe the attack on her house. Joshi demanded for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the case.

Joshi’s house in Lucknow was set on fire on July 15, night by a group of alleged Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers for her speech against Chief Minister Mayawati.

Joshi said, “I demand that the CBI probe what happened at my house in Lucknow. My party also wants this, because what happened is a state-sponsored crime. The UP administration definitely had a hand in burning my house and it happened with Mayawati’s consent. I don’t trust just the UP Government.”

Now, Joshi is out on interim bail after being arrested on July 16 and she has been charged under a law to prevent harassment of Dalits.

Joshi said she was “embarrassed” by her statements but didn’t intend to hurt any individual or caste. She said, “I was embarrassed but my intention was not to demean any individual, forget about a caste. I am sorry for what I said.”

Rita rejected the UP government’s announcement in Lucknow that the CB-CID (crime branch-criminal investigation department) would investigate the attack on her house.

She said, “I don’t expect justice from the UP Government. The CBI should probe.”