Ram Rahim sentencing: Congress urges for measures to minimise provocation

Hours before the court proceedings against rape convict Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the Congress on Monday urged for preventive measures to minimise provocation that can arise after the hearing.

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "I would not like to comment on it before the proceeding, nor would like any political party too add fuel to the fire. This is a judicial and legal proceeding and should be handled with care. Also every possible pre-emptive and preventive method must be adopted to minimise the provocation. I think it is a good start to have the sentencing process in the Rohtak jail."

 

Further speaking on the security measure, Singhvi stated that central forces and police should take preventive measures before anything big occurs.

"The state government should have absolutely no excuse to prevent even a minor partial repeat of what happened last week. It has been known that something like this might happen; even after the paramilitary force, the central forces and the police were deployed," he said.

Earlier in the day, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Anand Kumar directed the police to monitor the Dera Sacha Ashram and bases in the NCR. A high alert has been given to all districts of the Agra zone, and also to the Meerut Zone on the UP borders.

While necessary security arrangements have been made, instructions have also been given to the district administration to impose Section 144 when needed.

Special vigilance and security arrangements have been made in the Meerut Zone.

Instructions have also been given for enhancing surveillance on the border areas adjoining Delhi-Haryana.

Intensive checking of vehicles and police force deployment has been ordered on state borders.

Also the Delhi Police, while dismissing the same, said everything would function as normal.

Arrangements have been made for the sitting of a CBI Court in Sunaria District Jail, Rohtak for the pronouncement of quantum of sentence against Ram Rahim Singh, after his followers went berserk with grief and anger over his conviction,

Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) B.S. Sandhu had earlier said that 52 cases were registered and 926 arrests made so far.

"At least 52 cases have been registered so far and 926 people have been arrested. As for casualties, 38 people have died in the violence. 6 casualties are from Sirsa and 32 are from Panchkula. All bodies in Sirsa have been identified, but in Panchkula, 24 have been identified through post-mortem, the rest are yet to be identified. Of the 250 injured," he said.