Politics mingled with religion results in ruckus: Sharad Yadav on Ram Rahim row

Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) veteran Sharad Yadav on Friday condemned the violence that is taking place after Gurmeet Ram Rahim was held guilty and charged with the offence of rape, and said, when politics and religion are mingled together then similar situation takes place.

"The condition at present in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan and Pakistan can be compared with the ongoing Ram Rahim violence in the nation. Rahim is going to do the same in India through his followers. If you mingle politics and religion together then this will happen. Moreover, politicians are dependent on him for their vote bank," Yadav told ANI.

He further said that there is still blind faith in India and the government is doing nothing to curb it.

"With violence around these states, how can the State Government control it? These political parties are themselves involved in it for collecting votes. People and police should not be blamed for such upheaval rather the politics behind it is to be blamed," he asserted.

Earlier in the day, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for negligence of his duty in stopping the violence in parts of Haryana post the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in connection with a rape case.

Omar took to Twitter and said, "PM Modi should sack his Haryana CM for gross dereliction of duty. The CM had more than enough time to prepare for this eventuality".

Following are the updates related to the case:

- 1000 Dera Sacha Sauda followers have been detained, says Haryana's ADGP (Law & Order) Muhammad Akil

- Death toll in violent protests in Panchkula climbs to 17 and 200 injured

- Punjab and Haryana High Court says properties of Ram Rahim Singh should be attached to pay for the losses due to violence.

- Security at Delhi BJP headquaters increased post violence at various places

- Security in and around Civil Hospital in Sector 6 Panchkula also increased; Death toll reaches 12,100 injured in violent protests

- Violence reported in Delhi, two buses set ablaze on Mandoli flyover in Delhi's Nand Nagri.

- Death toll in Panchkula violence rises to 12, says CMO civil hospital.

- Bus set ablaze near Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital in Delhi

- Two empty rakes of Rewa Express at Anand Vihar Terminal railway station set on fire: Northern Railway Spox Neeraj Sharma

- Police say bus torched in northeast Delhi's Loni Chowk

- Security tightened at railway stations in Delhi

- Army columns moved into Haryana's Sirsa district for quick reaction, as violent protests continue post rape conviction of Dera Chief Ram Rahim Singh

- The duty doctor at the Civil Hospital in Panchkula said at least five people were killed and 50 injured, including journalists and police.

- 6 Army columns deployed in Panchkula post conviction of Dera Chief Ram Rahim Singh Ram Rahim Verdict

- Central Industrial Security Force personnel deployed within one km radius of Rohtak's Sunariya Jail Haryana

- Curfew imposed in Punjab's Muktsar, Bathinda, Mansa

- RamRahimVerdict: Administrative machinery geared up in Western Uttar Pradesh- Anand Kumar, ADG Law and Order

- Five people dead in Panchkula violence, says duty doctor at civil hospital.