As violent protests against the film 'Padmaavat' continued on Wednesday, 24 January, an angry mob attacked a school bus carrying children on the Sohna Road Highway in Gurugram, Haryana.
The mob pelted stones at a GD Goenka World School bus, as children, teachers and other staff cowered between seats in fear. Fortunately, no one was said to have been injured in the incident.
The incident occurred in the afternoon when the school bus was ferrying the children back to their homes.
As soon as we came out of the school, the bus was attacked. Even the police could not control them. The children somehow took cover inside the bus.School staffer
Furthermore, a teacher was quoted by NDTV as saying:
There were policemen, but no one was listening to them. The mob didn’t care... We covered all the children and made them sit on the floor.Teacher
Apart from the school bus being vandalised, a Haryana Roadways bus was also torched in the Bhondsi area of Gurugram. The mob also pelted stones on the Haryana police personnel deployed on the Gurugram-Alwar National Highway, reported IANS.
Gurugram commissioner of police Sandeep Khairwar expressed regret over the attack on the school bus and directed forces to be deployed near schools to provide adequate security.
This is a very condemnable incident. We have brought some culprits to book. Will take stringent action against them.Sandeep Khairwar to NDTV
According to a senior official, the Gurugram police on Wednesday, 24 January, arrested 20 persons for allegedly violating prohibitory orders and violence.
Rahul Gandhi, Kejriwal Condemn Attack on School Bus
Congress President Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to criticise the attack on the school bus full of children in Gurugram.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at the state government for its inaction.
The Congress demanded the resignation of Haryana's BJP government after the violence in Gurugram.
The Manohar Lal Khattar government has failed to control law and order in the state. The way stones were pelted on a school bus, no one is going to forgive that. Even a Haryana Roadways bus was torched and there was no trace of administration there.Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress spokesperson
Attacking the state's BJP government, Surjewala said, "The government which cannot bring law and order under control has no right to remain in power."
Nobody accepts violence, as it is not the solution. If the Khattar government cannot enforce the rule of law, it must resign.Randeep Singh Surjewala
Controversial BJP leader Suraj Pal Amu also reacted to the incident while speaking to ANI:
A school bus was attacked. (We) wouldn’t have been able to forgive ourselves had a child got injured. I appeal to protest peacefully. It’ll end only when the PM, Home Minster or Amit Shah come forward to speak. I appeal everyone to boycott ‘Padmaavat’. It’ll add to the nation’s dignity.Suraj Pal Amu
(With inputs from IANS and PTI)
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