Chief Minister Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar said today that police cannot protect everyone in a state and urged people to maintain peace and harmony. Haryana has seen a wave of community strife claiming the lives of six people since Monday. The violence has now spread to the gates of the nation’s capital.
“Without friendship, there is no security, if everyone is firmly opposed, there is no security. The police, the military or you and I cannot protect everyone,” he said.
You need a certain environment for security. You need friendship, good relations… for that we have peace committees… If there is a problem, then we can take measures. They marched for peace…anywhere in the world the police can’t protect everyone. We have two million people and only 50,000 policemen,”
Mr Khattar also said the state had no information about Monu Manesar, the man believed to be at the center of Monday’s violence that sparked community clashes.
“The lawsuit against him is filed by the government of Rajasthan”,
I told the Rajasthan government that if they need help finding him, we are here to help. Now Rajasthan police are looking for him. We have no information about his whereabouts. Whether they did or not, how can we tell?” he said.
Monu Manesar, wanted since February for the murder of two men from Jodhpur in Rajasthan, is on the run. But he allegedly circulated an offensive video that angered some.
Rumors that he had been seen in a religious procession organized by the Hindu Vishwa Parish in Nuh sparked the attack. Some people threw rocks at the convoy and things escalated from there. A mosque was set on fire after midnight, more than a hundred vehicles burned and vandalized.
The wave from Monday’s clash has reached Delhi’s Gurugram, which is on high alert.
Gurugram soon imposed a ban on mass gatherings. But yesterday, a mob of 200 people showed up, broke the rules and set fire to a row of restaurants and shacks near residential areas, turning them to ashes. The sale of gasoline or diesel in bulk has been banned to prevent arson.