Perpetrators of violence will be punished: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised that people who take the law into their own hands and are on the path of “violent suppression” will “unquestionably” be punished.

The assurance came from the prime minister during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ monthly radio address on Sunday, two days after the followers of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh perpetrated violence in Haryana and parts of neighbouring states over a CBI court convicting the Dera chief in a rape case.

The situation in these states continues to be grim as the special CBI court is scheduled to pronounce the quantum of sentence against the convict, amid heavy deployment of security forces, including army, in Haryana.

“I want to assure my countrymen that this government will not tolerate 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. Each and every person will have to abide by the law; the law will fix accountability and the guilty will unquestionably be punished,” the prime minister said.

He, however, did not make any direct reference to the violence unleashed by the Dera supporters which left at least 28 people dead and 250 injured on Friday.

“When on the one hand, a sense of festivity pervades the land, on the other, news of violence comes in from one part of the country; it is only natural to be concerned,” the prime minister said. He said India is a country of Buddha and (Mahatma) Gandhi.

Inherent values

“It is the land of Sardar Patel who gave up everything for the unity of the nation. For centuries, our forefathers have imbibed community values, non-violence, mutual respect — these are inherent to us.

“We have been hearing and saying ‘Ahimsa Paramo Dharma’ from our childhood. No one has the right to take the law into one’s own hands in the name of one’s beliefs,” he said.

The prime minister noted that the Constitution of India had provisions for ensuring justice to each and every person.