Situation not assessed properly…organisers too to blame: Dy CM Dushyant Chautala

Chautala said that the additional DGP (law and order) has stated that permission for a procession having 3,200 people was taken by the organisers of the religious procession, and accordingly the police force was deployed. “Had the organisers given higher numbers, more force could have been deputed. It is the organisers’ responsibility also to be accurate about their numbers,” said Chautala.

The JJP leader had earlier also said that the organisers of the religious procession did not give a proper estimation of the expected turnout to the district administration, a lapse which may have led to the violence.

“It is the first time such communal clashes took place in Haryana. Who planned it, is slowly emerging. If there were administrative failures, action is being taken. What happened, why it happened…I should not be commenting at this stage. Let the police investigate. All I can say is that anybody — political, official, or anti-social element – found involved shall be taken to task,” he added.

Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in the communal clashes that erupted in Nuh when a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession was attacked by mobs.

‘No one-sided action’

On allegations that “one-sided action was being taken” in Nuh, Chautala said all those being arrested do not belong to a particular caste or community. “It is incorrect to say that one-sided action is being taken. Action is being taken irrespective of the accused’s caste or religion or community. People from only a particular community are not the ones who are targeted. I personally got a call from one Mr Jain whose shop was also demolished,” Chautala added.

The senior JJP leader also “welcomed” the Punjab and Haryana High Court taking up the suo motu cognisance of the matter and ordering a halt to the demolition drive in Nuh.

“Apparently, without any demolition orders and notices, the law and order problem is being used as a ruse to bring down buildings without following the procedure established by law,” the high court said.

Chautala said, “If HC has said that people should be served notices before demolition, I welcome that. The government will submit its reply…If Town and Country Planning or any other department has taken action against illegal constructions, and HC has taken notice of it. The government shall file its reply in the high court,” Chautala said.

Directing the state government not to carry out demolition drive in Nuh, where hundreds of “illegally-constructed” structures have been razed by the authorities in the past few days, the high court Monday said, “The issue also arises whether the buildings belonging to a particular community are being brought down under the guise of law and order problem and an exercise of ethnic cleansing is being conducted by the State”. The high court will hear the matter again on August 11.

‘Controlled situation within seven hours’

Meanwhile, referring to communal clashes, the deputy CM said the government was able “to control the situation within seven hours. “In some other states, it has been seen such an incident continued for two-three weeks. I think it was our efficiency that we were able to curb anti-social elements. We ensured that there were not replication. We have deployed IRB permanently there. Curfew is being relaxed. We are taking steps that such an incident is not repeated anywhere in Haryana. Situation is getting back to normal,” Chautala added.

When asked when did he get information about the July 31 incident, Chautala replied, “I came to know about it at 1:30 pm…I talked to ADGP (CID) and requested that SP Bhiwani be sent there (Nuh). Ye jo tantra sarkaari hai na, isse jaada effective aapke worker hote hain (Party workers are faster that the administrative machinery). When the incident happened, the first call I got was from our party candidate of Firozpur Jhirka”.

For the first time, such atmosphere in the state has been created in a planned manner and strict action will be taken against those involved, be it a minor or major, he said when asked that some teenagers were stated to be part of those who indulged in stone pelting on the procession.

Regarding the attack on cybercrime police station, Chautala said, “No record gets destroyed by putting a police station on fire. These are the times of Cloud computing. If anybody had this intention that they would evade police action by setting on fire police station….they are mistaken. Their faces have been captured on CCTVs and arrests are being made”.

The Haryana government had earlier said the attack on the cybercrime police station was aimed at destroying evidence related to a massive fraud unearthed earlier this year.