Violence sweeps Haryana after self-styled godman Ram Rahim convicted of rape; CM Khattar admits lapses

Although the quantum of the sentence is yet to be pronounced, the punishment can a jail term not less than seven years and it could even extend to life imprisonment.

Magnitude of violence

The 50-year-old Dera chief was lodged in the Rohtak district prison in Sunaria following his conviction in the rape case. Soon after the verdict was out, followers went on a rampage and clashed with security personnel. While 28 people were killed in Panchkula, two died in Sirsa, the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda. Several mediapersons and their assets were targeted by the mobs. Police and paramilitary force had to resort to firing teargas shells to control the volatile situation. The dera followed had defied prohibitory order section 144 of the CrPc, which prohibits the assembly of more than four people at one place. More than 30 incidents of violence and arson were reported from Malwa region of Punjab.

One of the injured dera follower at Civil hospital in sector 6 during clash between Dera followers and force after the dera verdict in Panchkula on Friday, August 25 2017. (Express Photo by Sahil Walia)

Northern Railway spokesperson Neeraj Sharma said Malout and Balluanna railway stations were partially torched in Punjab. In view of the worsening situation, the Northern Railway cancelled as many as 445 trains till August 28. “485 train services have been affected (due to the violence). Of these, 445 stood cancelled,” said Sharma. The violence spread even to Delhi where two coaches of a stationary train were set on fire at Anand Vihar Railway Station. Subsequently, prohibitory orders were imposed in 11 districts of the national capital. According to reports, two buses were set ablaze by a mob at the Loni Golchakkar in northeast Delhi.

Reflecting on the incident, Haryana police chief B S Sandhu said 60 policemen, including two SSPs, were also injured in the violence, adding that 550 people have been rounded up and three rifles and as many as pistols along with live cartridges were also recovered. Six columns of the Army, consisting of a total of 500 to 600 soldiers, were deployed in Panchkula, the epicentre of violence.

In the wake of large scale destruction by the mobs, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered that the losses caused due to the violence will be recovered from the dera.

Khattar admits lapses in handling Dera situation

Facing intense scrutiny from the Opposition over the handling of the situation, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar admitted that there were lapses but insisted that appropriate action was being taken. “Lapses have been identified and we are taking appropriate steps. This should not have happened,” he said. “Some people have lost lives and vehicles have been set on fire while government property too has been damaged. Some OB vans of the media have also been damaged by the mob,” Khattar added.

Security forces firing on Dera Sacha Sauda followers after they became violent over Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s conviction by a special CBI court in a 2002 rape case. (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)

CM Khattar also said the culprits will be punished and that the government will assess the damage. When asked how thousands of Dera followers managed to reach Panchkula and was his government prepared for this, Khattar said, “We were prepared to deal with the situation. Since it was a very big mob…”

PM Modi condemns violence; other reactions from political parties

Condemning the “deeply distressing” violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged everyone to maintain peace. He reviewed the situation with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and stated officials have been asked to work round-the-clock to restore normalcy. “The instances of violence today are deeply distressing. I strongly condemn the violence & urge everyone to maintain peace,” he tweeted.

“The law & order situation is being closely monitored. I reviewed the situation with the NSA & Home Secretary,” the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, the Congress asked for the resignation of Haryana CM Khattar, with party president Sonia Gandhi expressing grave concern over the situation. Appealing the people to maintain peace, the Congress President, in a statement, said several people including children had died in the violence, and “there was widespread destruction of public property and senseless attacks” on the media. On the other hand, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi condemned “the rampage and lawlessness” and said, “Violence and brutality have no place in our society. Condemn the rampage and lawlessness in Haryana and appeal to restore peace and tranquillity,” he said on Twitter.

“@PMOIndia must put the interest and safety of Indians before his party’s interests. @mlkhattar must resign,” the Congress Party said on Twitter.

Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also appealed for peace and said that the government should have been prepared. “The priority now is to restore law and order, peace and harmony. I appeal to the people of Haryana to maintain calm and ensure there is no loss of life or damage to property,” he told reporters.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani also condemned the attack on media, but advised news channels to refrain from “causing panic, distress and undue fear”. “Attack on media, damage to property condemnable. Appeal to all to maintain peace,” she said in a tweet. “Drawing attention of newschannels to clause B of Fundamental Std of NBSA (NewsBroadcasting Standards Authority) refraining channels from causing panic, distress & undue fear,” she added.

Criticising the BJP for mishandling the situation in Haryana, the CPI(M) asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to abide by their “rajdharma” in containing the violence.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up chief ministers of Haryana and Punjab and took stock of the situation. He assured them all assistance in restoring peace.

With PTI inputs