Kerala House Beef row: Have asked Delhi Police chief to take stringent action against Hindu Sena leader, says Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister has said that he was ready to express his regret to Oomen Chandy regarding 'raid' by Delhi Police on Kerala House.

Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that if need be he was ready to express his regret to Chief Minister Oomen Chandy regarding the row that was created after 'raid' by Delhi Police on Kerala House.

In an interview to India Today, the BJP leader said that he would meet Chandy after his return from Bihar.

He also said that he had advised Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi to take stringent action against Hindu Sena leader Vishnu Gupta.

At the same time Singh said that he had asked Bassi and his team to be careful when they take action on such complaints in future."

Meanwhile, under attack for "breach of protocol" in connection with the Kerala House episode, Delhi Police has issued a circular asking officials to contact the Resident Commissioners of state bhavans, in case of situations requiring preventive action.

The circular issued by the Delhi police yesterday noted that the officials who went enquiring for beef at Kerala House here "did not establish liaison with the Resident Commissioner or his representative, while securing the place and making enquiries", as per PTI.

The circular, signed by Senior Special Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) further stated, "Henceforth, whenever any occasion/situation arises and preventive or other action is required at any of the State Bhawans, efforts should also be made to contact the Resident Commissioner or his representative."

"Where delay can result in any commission of crime or escalate law and order problem or damage to life and property, appropriate legal action should be initiated without any delay. In such situations, assistance of the Resident Commissioner or his representative should be obtained at the first opportunity," the circular added.

The communication was issued hours after Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta was detained - and later arrested yesterday - for breaching peace and tranquillity of an area, said a senior official.

Gupta had allegedly made a false complaint that beef was being served at the Kerala house canteen.

Delhi Police had come under the attack from various quarters, including the Kerala government, for failing to contact the Resident Commissioner before they "raided" the Kerala House canteen.

The police maintained that it wasn't a raid, but just an enquiry, which they claimed was under the law of the land.

(With PTI inputs)