Congress politicising Rampal ashram violence issue, claims BJP

BJP on Tuesday accused Congress of politicising the violence that erupted in Haryana over the arrest of controversial 'godman' Rampal in which over 100 people including policemen were injured. It said the BJP government in the state was only implementing court orders and asked Rampal to respect the law.

"Congress is trying to give political colour to the violence. It is unfortunate as it is a sensitive matter and a peaceful solution be found," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said. He claimed the operation carried out by police was to implement the court orders which have been pending for the past four years as the previous Congress government dithered over the issue.

On Rampal, who heads Satlok Ashram and whose supporters attacked police from inside the ashram, he said, "No one is above the law. Rampal should respect the law." Sharma said as many as 72 policemen and 60 ashram supporters besides some mediapersons were injured in the violent clashes that erupted in the morning in Barwala town in Hisar.

Congress leader Ajay Maken said the attack on media at Rampal's ashram is "unacceptable and extremely unfortunate" as many reporters and camera persons were brutally beaten up and injured by the police in mindless baton charge.

Sharma said Rampal was asked by the court to present himself before the court and police was carrying out the operation smoothly to ensure no injury or casualty took place even as ashram supporters attacked the police from inside. The ashram supporters, he claimed, used women and children as human shield and police tried to save them from being kept captive.