Athawale wants Dera chief Ram Rahim to be tried for murder

The MoS said Ram Rahim should have asked his followers to show restraint and by not doing so he is responsible for the death of the 32 killed that day.

Minister of state for social justice and empowerment, Ramdas Athawale has demanded that Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh be tried for murder.

Ramdas Athawale demanded that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh be tried for murder. (Pratham Gokhale/HT File Photo)

The minister said the self-styled godman is responsible for the deaths that occurred after violence broke out between his followers and the police following his conviction on Friday.

Athawale said Ram Rahim should have asked his followers to show restraint and by not doing so he is responsible for the death of the 32 killed that day.

He gave the Manohar Lal Khattar government a clean chit saying, “his followers would have resorted to violence where ever they would have been stopped...”

A Dalit leader, Athawale also urged members of the Dalit and other backward communities to refrain from joining cults.