HC blasts Haryana: You let Panchkula burn
TOLL RISES TO 38 ‘Political surrender’ by the govt to lure vote bank, says court, blames dera for arson, seeks damages GOVT ACTION AK47 rifles, petrol bombs seized from dera supporters; 550 people held in 2 states, 70 FIRs filed FOCUS ON ROHTAK Rape case
CHANDIGARH : The Punjab and Haryana high court indicted the Haryana government on Saturday for failing to control violence after the rape conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, adding to growing pressure on the chief minister to take responsibility for clashes that singed five states and claimed 34 lives.
In a stinging indictment of the Manohar Lal Khattar government, the HC bench comprising acting chief justice SS Saron, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Avneesh Jhingan, termed the mismanagement as “a political surrender to lure the vote bank.” It wondered how more than 100 vehicles could enter Panchkula without being checked. The bench was hearing a PIL on safety and law and order.
The death toll rose to 38 on Saturday as the Haryana government sacked its deputy attorney general and suspended a senior police officer in charge of security at Panchkula. Thirty two deaths were reported from Panchkula and six from Sirsa.
“Personal security slaps an IGP-rank officer and the state is not feeling ashamed”, the bench fumed. “People are taken for a ride every time a jalsa, jaloos is taken out,” it added.
The HC also sharply criticised the Centre for its inability to control the violence . The bench declared, “PM is of nation and not of BJP.” “Why do you (Centre) treat the region as colonies? It is only knee-jerk reaction from you,” it added. The bench was clear that the dera was responsible for the arson. “Prime facie whatever damage is caused, dera is responsible,” said the high court, while seeking a list of the moveable and immovable properties of the dera.
In its defence, the Haryana government cited its crackdown on officials unable to maintain law and order. The bench was, however, unimpressed. “Do you want us to believe that the DCP Ashok Kumar had passed these orders (imposing Section 144)”.
It said the order imposing Section 144 was deliberately wrongly drafted and the DCP made a scapegoat.