Whatever we did was right: Khattar on demands for resignation

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) After meeting BJP chief Amit Shah here, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday rejected the Opposition's demand for his resignation over the violence in the wake of conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Claiming that his government reacted befittingly to the situation, he told media that he was satisfied with the handling of the situation.

"We acted with restraint to execute the court's orders and we succeeded in achieving our objective," Khattar said after the meeting.

On the demands for his resignation from the Chief Minister's post, he said: "It doesn't matter what they say, but we are satisfied with our actions. Whatever we did was right. Now there is peace in Haryana. Situation is normal now."

Khattar also ruled out any possibility of change of guard in the state as there were speculations that the top BJP leadership may replace him because it was unhappy with the way the Chief Minister handled the situation ahead of the court verdict in a rape case against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief.

"There will be no change...There is nothing like this," he responded when he was asked aboout possibility of change of guard in the state.

Responding to another query on seeking support from Dera head during assembly polls, the Chief Minister said: "Political parties during elections seek support from everyone. But there was never a condition for such support that somebody breaks the law. Nobody is above the law."

Khattar, who later met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, gave a report to Shah on the violence that erupted on August 25 after a CBI court in Panchkula convicted self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of rape and criminal intimidation.

At least 38 people were killed and more than 250 injured in the violence that spread to other parts of Haryana besides Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi.

The Khattar government drew flak from all quarters for mishandling the situation and allegedly giving a long rope to Dera followers who gathered in Panchkula in their thousands.

The violence in Panchkula after Dera Chief was convicted was the third major instance of violence in the state since Khattar became Chief Minister of the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana in 2014.

Khattar, a first-time MLA, was chosen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah to lead the party government in Haryana.