Sirsa-Panchkula riots show BJP's 'administrative competence': Chidambaram

Congress senior leader P. Chidambaram on Friday cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for failing to control the tense situation in the state triggered after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim was convicted in a rape case.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram took a sarcastic note at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and blamed that riots in Sirsa-Panchkula were examples of 'administrative competence' of the saffron party.

He also mentioned the Gorakhpur hospital deaths and Muzaffarnagar train accident in his tweet to corner the Centre and the Prime Minister.

"PM Modi's exhortation turned on its head by CM Khattar. Haryana's mantra is 'maximum government, minimum governance'. Gorakhpur hospital deaths, Muzaffarnagar train accident, Sirsa-Panchkula riots are examples of BJP's administrative competence," Chidambaram said in a tweet.

Training guns at the Haryana Chief Minister, he said Khattar has set a new standard for 'maximum government, minimum governance'

At least 29 people were killed, including two women and a child, and more than 250 injured as violence erupted in Haryana and Punjab after the Dera Sacha Sauda chief was convicted in a rape case by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Panchkula on Friday.

The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on August 28.

Haryana's Director General of Police (DGP) B S Sandhu on late Friday night said that 550 people have been rounded up and some arms and ammunition have been recovered due to the violence in Panchkula.

Taking cognizance of the tense situation in the state, Haryana Chief Minister had said that culprits will be punished.

Prime Minister Modi also condemned the violence and urged everyone to maintain peace. He said the instances of violence are deeply distressing.

He also reviewed the law and order situation in Haryana and urged officials to work round the clock to restore normalcy and provide all possible assistance that is required.