The Punjab and Haryana High Court slammed the Centre and state govt over the violence
On Saturday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court took the Centre and state government to task over their inability to control the violence that erupted in Panchkula and other areas after a guilty verdict was handed out to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case.
Pulling up the state and Centre over the violence, the Punjab and Haryana High Court didn't even spare PM Modi and was quoted saying by NDTV: "He is the Prime Minister of not the BJP but of India.”
When ASG Satya Pal Jain said that violence was a ‘state matter’, the court questioned: “Is Haryana not a part of India? Why are Punjab and Haryana treated like step children’”
Responding to the ASG’s statement that such violence had taken place in other non-BJP related states, a full bench of acting chief justice SS Saron and justices Surya Kant and Avneesh Jhingan took the Centre to task.
The bench said according to HT: “National integrity is above parties. Are we one nation or a party nation?”
The court also slammed Haryana Government, for the ongoing unrest in the state, post conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in 1999 rape case saying that "you let Panchkula burn for political benefits". The High Court asked the state government for details of the Dera chief’s movable and immovable properties in Punjab and Haryana till next hearing that will be held on August 29.
The court also ordered the Haryana government to make necessary arrangements for the special CBI judge to be flown to the Rohtak district jail, where rape-convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is lodged, for hearing on the quantum of sentence against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief on Monday.
The high court asked the state government to make arrangements for security and safe transport by air of the judicial officer and two staff members.
Special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh, while holding the Sirsa-based Dera chief guilty of raping two female followers more than 15 years ago, had yesterday said the quantum of sentence would be pronounced on August 28.
After the conviction in Panchkula, the self-styled godman was flown to Rohtak as his followers went on rampage in the town and many other parts of Haryana and Punjab. Thirty-two people were killed and over 250 injured in the violence.
Haryana DGP BS Sandhu said that the death toll had risen 36 with 30 dying in Panchkula, 6 in Sirsa and over 250 injured. He said that 34 cases had been registered by the Haryana police so far and 55 arrests were made.
Despite criticism, BJP ruled out removal of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who is under attack for the violence by followers of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh following his conviction in a rape case.
Defending the state government, BJP general secretary Anil Jain, the party in-charge for Haryana affairs, told reporters that death of people and damage to property were unfortunate but claimed that the government controlled the situation within three hours with "minimum possible damage".
The Haryana government sacked Haryana's deputy advocate general for "accompanying" Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh after the Dera Sacha Sauda chief's conviction in a rape case.
The state government terminated the services of DAG Gurdas Salwara on the recommendations of Haryana's Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan.
"It is found that yesterday the DAG accompanied the baba," Mahajan said.
He said the DAG was a government servant and was not allowed to practice such things.
"The DAG has relations with the Dera," he claimed.
The action from the AG office came in the wake of a video clip purportedly showing the DAG in lawyer's robes carrying a suitcase of the Dera head after his conviction by a CBI court in Panchkula yesterday.
After Dera Sacha Sauda's Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh verdict, yesterday, violence erupted by his followers in different states of India.
Deputy Commissioner Atul Kumar Dwivedi on Saturday said that house raid was conducted in Rohtak, wherein some explosives were seized.
‘The security arrangements at Rohtak are fine. House raid has happened at one place. It was a routine raid. The explosives found at that place have been seized. The police personnel are wary,’ he told ANI.
He also asserted that the security at the jail is also strict.
‘The security at the jail is also strict. We have also put army at requisition. We have asked for 18 army columns which will come to us by the evening. As there are might be chances that the followers will try to meet Rahim. We might also see flag march by army here by the evening,’ he added.
Following are other updates related to the case:
-District administration and police sealed two ashrams of Dera Sacha Sauda in Haryana's Kurukshetra.
- Curfew has been imposed in Sangrur, Moga and Patiala district of Punjab. Security stepped up after violent protests by Dera followers in the state.
- Section 144 imposed in Uttarakhand's Nainital and Noida, Ghaziabad and Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh.
- Baghpat District Magistrate directs all schools in the region to remain closed today in Uttar Pradesh. Schools in Noida and Ghaziabad will also remain close today.
- Delhi Transport Corporation has suspended bus services to NCR due to incidents of arson.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged officials to work round the clock to restore normalcy and provide all possible assistance that is required. He assured to restore normalcy in violence-hit areas.
- Instances of violence are deeply distressing. Strongly condemn violence urge everyone to maintain peace, Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
- Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the state government had made complete arrangements; but the mob was really huge.
- Madhur Verma of Delhi Police confirmed that Dera Sacha Sauda followers tried to create mischief, following which a case has been registered. The police have recovered the CCTV footage, probe is underway.
- Chandigarh DGP Tejinder Singh Luthra confirmed that taking preventive measures, Chandigarh Police detains 81 people.
- Six private commandos of Ram Rahim Singh arrested by Chandigarh Police, weapons and petrol cans seized from them.
- 36 people have lost their lives, and over 200 are injured. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar directed doctors for best possible treatment.
- Passengers have been stranded at Bathinda railway station due to curfew imposed in Punjab.
With inputs from agencies
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