Haryana BJP media coordinator Suraj Pal Amu (Source: ANI)
Haryana BJP media coordinator Suraj Pal Amu has been put under “house arrest” in Gurugram even as the Bollywood movie ‘Padmaavat’ was screened peacefully in 33 cinema halls of Haryana’s nine districts on Thursday. As many as 23 have been arrested in connection with violence at two places in Gurugram district on Wednesday. Besides, two persons were arrested for vandalising a mall in Kurukshetra town recently and eight persons arrested as part of preventive measures.
Haryana DGP BS Sandhu confirmed that Amu was not being allowed to go out from his house. “He was not allowed to go to the MG Road (Gurugram) on Thursday,” said Sandhu. Sources said the action was taken as part of preventive measures to ensure smooth screening of Padmaavat.
Bhim Batheja, a close associate of Amu, told The Indian Express that they had planned to go to MG Road on Thursday as part of their plan to request people not to watch Padmaavat. “We wanted to offer flowers to the people along with our request. But the police suggested Amu not to go for the same. We have been told that Amu has been put under house arrest,” Batheja said.
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Amu, 49, stoked a controversy in November for allegedly “offering a prize of Rs 10 crore to anyone who would behead Padmaavat director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the film’s female lead Deepika Padukone”. The state BJP had issued a show-cause notice to Amu “for giving a statement contrary to the party line”. Amu also resigned from the post of media coordinator but last week he told The Indian Express that his resignation has not been accepted yet and that he is still with the BJP.
Meanwhile, Haryana Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu has described the attack on a school bus in Gurugram on Wednesday as “unfortunate” and assured that strict action would be taken against the miscreants involved in the incidents under the ambit of law.
Abhimanyu, who was interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of a function here today, was asked to comment on the law and order situation in the state after the release of Padmaavat and the incident of attack on a school bus in Gurugram.
“I condemn the incident of attack on the school bus carrying students in Gurugram and assure that strict action would be taken against those involved in the incident,” he said.
In reply to a question, Abhimanyu said that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has given clear cut directions that stringent action be taken against miscreants involved in this incident and also to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future.
He urged people to behave like responsible citizens in the interest of society. “The state government has acted as per the direction of the Supreme Court in this matter and one should express his viewpoint by staying within the ambit of law. The state government would not allow anybody to take law into their own hands,” he added.