It was just a matter of hours before the eight SIMI activists who escaped from the Bhopal jail were shot dead. Post the police operation, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated, "Let the whole world know. Were they (policemen) right or wrong."
"Sahi kiya (did the right thing)," shouted back the audience who were listening to his state foundation day speech on Tuesday.
Chouhan was criticised by his rivals for the killing of the SIMI activists and he alleged that they were playing dirty politics. The MP CM also announced cash rewards of Rs 2 lakh for the policemen who were involved in the operation and Rs 1 lakh for those who were involved in the searches.
There were questions raised by many about the police operation and Chouhan was addressing them during his speech. Calling terrorists, "enemies of humanity'', Chouhan stated, "We will have to evolve a system for quick trials. How long can you keep them under trial? Some people even get chicken biryani in jail. We should seriously consider setting up fast-track courts."
Meanwhile, in New Delhi Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju also questioned the "habit" of people raising doubts over the action of security forces and the police. He said, "We should stop this habit of raising doubts and questioning the authorities and the police. This is not a good culture. What we are observing in India is that people have developed this habit of raising unnecessary doubts and questions. Facts will come out. I am not dismissing anything, but merely on the basis of clips or some kind of papers, you cannot raise alarm bells like that."
Chouhan stated the men who had escaped were a threat to the state and nation and thus had to be eliminated. He added, "Hum kisi ko chhedenge nahin magar hame chheda to chhodenge nahi (we will not harass anyone but if we are harassed, will not spare anyone)."
