BJP leader blames Punjab for allowing Dera followers in Haryana

New Delhi: BJP leader Vineet Joshi on Friday blamed the Punjab government for allowing supporters of controversial Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to enter Haryana, after violence flared up following a verdict against the self-styled godman.

Talking to TV news channel India Today TV, Joshi also said that the Haryana government under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was making efforts to control the situation.

"This is a really unusual situation which we have not seen for the last 25 years. Such deployment of security was only in days of terrorism... Anticipating that emotions will flare up, the government has taken steps," said the Punjab BJP secretary.

Asked why the situation was allowed to escalate, Joshi said: "The supporters came from Sangrur and Malwa areas of Punjab. Why did the Punjab government allow them to come to Haryana?"

"The government is putting in its best efforts... Government is dealing with lakhs of people whose emotions have been flared up," said Joshi.

A CBI special court on Friday held the Dera chief guilty of raping and sexually exploiting two female disciples.

He was taken into custody following his conviction by trial court judge Jagdeep Singh.