A second look at the happenings following the mindless violence that ensued after the conviction of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh (“Haryana braces for Monday, the day of sentencing”, August 27) will show that it was a lack of political will that led to administrative paralysis and the grotesque happenings. The security forces seem to have been operating without a strategy. Without exception, political parties have pampered the Dera Sacha Sauda chief with an eye on the vote bank which in turn sent wrong signals to the administration. Elementary precautionary measures such as preventive arrests and detention of leaders were not taken. The saving grace in the entire episode is that the courts have proved once again to be the last bastion of justice, with the High Court making sharp observations (“HC slams Khattar’s ‘surrender to vote bank’, August 27).
S.V. Venkatakrishnan,
Bengaluru
The violence in Haryana is a result of the total failure of the State government. Officials are sure to have known that the followers of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh would react in a violent manner. It is obvious that the police had their hands tied. People are bound to get fed up with rhetoric of a “clean India” unless there is action against violators of the law.
S. Venkataramani,
Chennai
