Gurgaon MP and Union Minister of State (MoS) Rao Inderjit Singh has said that it was not right for participants in a religious yatra to be carrying swords and sticks.
Singh in an interview with Indian Express questioned why people were carrying weapons to participate in a religious procession and stated that provocation from both sides resulted in the violence.
On Monday, clashes erupted between two groups during a procession by the Bajrang Dal (BD) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Haryana's Nuh. Violence spread to neighbouring Gurgaon where some shops and a mosque were torched Tuesday, and the mosque's 26-year-old naib imam was killed.
The communal violence in Haryana and Gurugram has so far claimed six lives including that of two home guards. The Bajrang Dal claimed that one of its activists succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday and has blocked the National Highway on the Badarpur border.
“Kisne hathiyar diye unko is procession mein le jaane ke liye? Koi talwar leke jata hai procession mein? Lathi-dande leke jata hai (Who gave weapons to them for the procession? Who goes to a procession carrying swords, or sticks?) This is wrong. A provocation took place from this side, too. I am not saying there was no provocation from the other side,” Singh told IE.
The MoS also condemned the hate on social media and explained how he believes social media is in part responsible for what is happening in Haryana and Gurugram. “I have asked the police to probe who uploaded such videos. Someone said there were videos saying, ‘We are coming for this religious function, your daamad (son-in-law) is coming. If you can stop, stop it’. If such irresponsible videos are uploaded, it causes a negative impact," Singh told IE.
According to the him, the Muslim-dominated area had not seen such an incident in the past since partition. “Why did it happen now? I believe social media is responsible.”
He also said that he has requested Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the Union Home Ministry to send central forces to Nuh.
Police have registered about 40 cases and arrested more than 80 people in connection with the communal violence.