New Delhi, Aug. 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today used his monthly radio programme to condemn violence in the name of faith, abandoning his penchant for silence on still-raging controversies to make his second intervention in three days on the Dera Sacha Sauda violence.
Rarely has the Prime Minister spoken about a contentious issue while it is on the boil, preferring instead to comment after the storm has died down. And invariably, he would make a general remark rather than flag a specific incident.
His comments today were largely an echo of his Independence Day address, where he said that violence in the name of faith would not be tolerated. But this time he spelt out the forms of the violence -whether stemming from "communal belief systems", or "political ideologies" or "allegiance to a person or customs and traditions" - although he didn't mention the Dera or Haryana.
His exact words were: "When... news of violence comes in, from one part of the country, it is only natural to feel concerned."
Modi said: "No one has the right to take the law into one's own hands in the name of one's beliefs. In the Constitution given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, there is every provision for ensuring justice for each and every person."
He added: "I want to assure you that people who take the law into their own hands and are on the path of violent suppression, whether it is a person or a group, neither this country nor any government will tolerate it. Each and every person will have to abide by the law; the law will fix accountability and the guilty will unquestionably be punished."
Besides Ambedkar, the Prime Minister referred to Mahatma Gandhi, Gautam Buddha and Vallabhbhai Patel while invoking the idea of India as a land of non-violence and mutual respect.
This is the second time Modi has spoken on the violence in Haryana; the first instance was on Friday night after the situation in Panchkula had been brought under control.
He had posted three tweets that night, condemning the violence, calling for peace, and informing people that he had been monitoring the situation.
His second intervention comes a day before a CBI court sentences Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, having convicted him for rape on Friday.
The Prime Minister has rarely before used the Mann Ki Baat programme to speak on controversial subjects, preferring instead to dispense sagely advice on sundry issues in an avuncular, storytelling manner.
Today, the subjects he touched on included the various upcoming festivals and the need to celebrate them in an environment-friendly way, cleanliness, and his gratitude towards those tuning in for his monthly broadcast.
He requested people not to haggle with hawkers or rickshaw-pullers over petty cash, and advised children to go out and play instead of remaining glued to their gadgets.
Dera motorcade
A special investigation team has been set up to examine the substance recovered from a fire tender which was part of the motorcade of Gurmeet, police said today.
Vehicles belonging to Gurmeet, including the fire tender, were impounded by the police on Friday. "There were two large tanks in the fire engine. A foul smell was emanating from the tanks. We have sent the substance recovered from the tanks to the forensic sciences laboratory" Panchkula's deputy commissioner of police Manbir Singh said earlier.
