Chandigarh, November 18
The “inexperienced” Manohar Lal Khattar-headed BJP government in Haryana today faced its first challenge and fared “poorly”, as the Opposition put it. The Chief Minister chose to keep mum on “Operation Rampal” in Hisar’s Barwala, leaving the onus to defend government on the state bureaucracy.
While the Director General of Police, Haryana, SN Vashisht, answered most of the questions at the formal briefing, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sanjeev Kaushal, played “moderator” as the an anxious Home Secretary, PK Mahapatra, new to this posting, stayed put through the conference.
State political leadership has been accused of soft-pedaling the issue and allowing the build-up at the ashram. Sources in opposition said there was lack of political will to proceed firmly in the case.
Kaushal explained that the Home Department had kept the Ministry of Home Affairs informed of the developments on the police operation to arrest sect head Rampal from his “fortified” Satlok Ashram in response to a directive from the Centre.
The Chief Minister “monitored” the developments behind closed doors with his key officers. OSD Jawahar Yadav said that “the government was keeping an eye on the developments” as they unfolded.
Beyond that, the government did not think it necessary to mandate a senior minister, most of whom were present throughout the day in the secretariat, to be available to give “operational details”.
The DGP explained that the police move was a well-thought out strategy in which the area around the ashram was first sealed and essential supplies cut off. “Nearly 3,000 women and children were being used as a human shield by Rampal and we did not want to hurt any innocent in our operation. There were calls from desperate devotees wanting to be rescued, there were youth willing to immolate themselves and there were ‘commandos’ instigated by Rampal to resist the police. “It was a sensitive matter and we proceeded gradually, using water cannons and teargas shells to disperse the followers,” the DGP
stated.
While the police managed to breach the 20-feet high walls of the ashram, Vashisth said the operation would end only with Rampal’s arrest.
“There was no CID failure at any time. Rampal had called a satsang and the devotees had gathered for that. At any given time there are 8,000 to 10,000 people at the ashram. This time, Rampal chose to hide behind them,” he said.
Asked why the political leadership in the state was “missing” at a time when there was so much action, he chose to quickly wrap up the conference without giving any replying, almost ignoring the question.
On an individual note and “cornered” during the day in their offices, Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar said Rampal should have surrendered in keeping with the court directive while Education minister Ram Bilas
Sharma said that beating up of mediapersons was “unfortunate”.
