Irresponsible on the part of BJP to not curb the violence: Sitaram Yechury

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury has blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of all the violence that took place in the state of Haryana, following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

"A number of warnings were issued to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister. Even after that, if this is the kind of maintainence of law and order in the state, it speaks volumes about the governance," Yechury said, while speaking to ANI.

He also accused the BJP and the RSS of supporting the Dera Chief and said that the BJP allowed the situation to escalate to such a level for their own political benefits.

"While the sentence has to be honored by everyone in the land, this other aspect must be looked into as well," he said.

Earlier in the day, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who was held guilty on charges of rape of a female devotee in 1999, was sentenced to twenty years of imprisonment by the Special CBI Court of Panchkula.

Two cars were set on fire by unknown persons near Sirsa after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to twenty years in prison for rape

Ram Rahim was convicted with the charges of rape on Friday (August 25) by the Special CBI Court.

The rape case was registered by the CBI in April 2002 against the self-styled godman after allegations of sexual exploitation of two women followers.

Following Ram Rahim's conviction on Friday, his 'bhakts' went on a rampage in Haryana's Panchkula and Sirsa, demanding justice for their leader and Punjab, Haryana and their neighbouring states have, since, been on the edge.