'Drafting law to curb stone pelting in final stages': Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Chouhan

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday that his government is drafting an 'extraordinary' law to curb stone-pelting in the state as "it is raj dharma to take action against criminals."

"It is 'raj dharma' to take action against criminals. Stone pelting is not an ordinary violation of law and order that is why it requires an extraordinary law. The draft is in its final stage and the law is being made," Chouhan said.

In a crackdown on miscreants involved in stone-pelting incidents, the Madhya Pradesh government is mulling on enacting a new law that will have a provision for auctioning the assets of stone pelters to repay for any damage caused to public property or an individual.

The law is being formulated in light of a recent incident, in which more than 24 people were arrested in the Gautampura area of Indore for pelting stones at a vehicle rally on December 29, 2020.

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Miscreants pelt stones at a public rally

A public rally was being organised from Dharmat to Chandkhedi, Kanwasa, Sunala, and back to Rudrakhya via Khadotya to raise awareness on the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, where an incident of stone-pelting occurred after some people opposed the rally. At least five persons were injured in the incident. 

Vehicle rallies were being taken out in villages in the state ahead of the launch of a nationwide public campaign by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to mobilize funds for the grand temple project. The foundation of the Ram Mandir was laid in Ayodhya by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August last year after the Supreme Court's historic verdict. The construction is expected to be completed in a span of 36-40 months.

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