Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu denounces violence in Haryana, Punjab as 'unacceptable'

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday condemned as "unacceptable", the large-scale violence in Punjab and Haryana triggered by the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case.

He also said "some people" incited violence in the name of religion, language or region and the challenge to rid the country of discrimination and inequalities remained.

"Some people incite violence in the name of caste, religion, language and region. They provoke people into acts of violence. Such acts are not acceptable in a democracy," Naidu noted, referring to the widespread violence that led to the death of over 30 people in Haryana.

Parts of Punjab also saw violence and arson after the conviction of Ram Rahim by a CBI court in Panchkula.

Naidu was speaking at a civic reception hosted by the Andhra Pradesh government here this afternoon.

"It's a shame for anyone in a free India, great India, a cultural India with a great heritage, if social discrimination still continues." 

"We have to rid India of such discrimination and social inequalities. This is a challenge before us," he said.
India could claim to be a developed country only when hunger, illiteracy, corruption, inequalities are eliminated, he added.

Governor E S L Narasimhan, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, civil aviation minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju, minister of state Y S Chowdary and Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao were present at the function, among others.