'Saddened' B-town slams Dera violence

Bollywood celebrities, including Twinkle Khanna, Anupam Kher and Raveena Tandon, have expressed their disapproval over the violence in Punjab and Haryana post Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's conviction in a 15-year-old rape case.

The Dera Sacha Sauda chief has been held guilty of raping and sexually exploiting two female disciples.

The agitated Bollywood stars took a stand against the violence that occurred in Haryana and Punjab in the name of supporting Ram Rahim that killed at least 28 and injured nearly 250 people.

Twinkle took to her Twitter account and wrote, "Our fault Babas exist as we turn towards them like silly sunflowers looking for the sun,forgetting that a halo is just a trick of the light!"

Veteran actor Kher tweeted, "Violence is what #GurmeetRamRahimSingh seems to have taught his followers. This is nonsense & Govt. needs to use full force to STOP it NOW."

Raveena posted, "The way the followers are reacting,rioting,itself proves what the cult was all about...saddened to see such shameful goons on the loose."

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta also wrote, ?"Why should violent mobs still be called 'followers'? What happened to 'terrorists'? Or is that term reserved?"

Actor Vir Das? tweeted, "It's really quite simple...when your politicians use god to get or stay in power, they are not going to stand up to so called god-men."

Meanwhile, actress Esha Gupta? also tweeted, "Again.. riots in the name of religion.. #RamRahimVerdict.. prayers with all those stuck in the riots stricken areas/states ????"

Sirsa is the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda of which Ram Rahim, 50, is its chief.

The special CBI court in Panchkula on Friday convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2002 rape case and ordered him to be taken into judicial custody.