The Madhya Pradesh government will enact a strict law against stonecutters, which will have a provision to auction off their assets to pay for any damage caused to public property or an individual, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday.
The move follows reports of stone-throwing during clashes that took place when rallies by members of a right-wing group passed through Muslim-dominated towns in Ujjain, Indore and Mandsaur districts.
Addressing the media in Bhopal on Sunday, the CM said that “stoners are enemies of society.” He said that stone-throwing is not a common crime, as it could lead to deaths, spread terror and chaos and disrupt public order.
Stating that “the rule of law will prevail in Madhya Pradesh,” Chouhan said that these criminals are not petty criminals and will not be spared. “Until now, (stoning) was considered a misdemeanor, but we are bringing in a law that will make violators pay,” Chouhan said.
He said that by breaking stones, these criminals often resort to damage to public property and arson, even burning houses and shops. “While people have the right to pose their problems peacefully in a democracy, no one has the freedom to damage public property,” said the CM.
Under the new law, those who damage public property will not only face severe punishment, but will also have to pay for the damage. If necessary, your properties will be auctioned to pay for the damages. Even if private property is intentionally destroyed, the culprit would have to pay for the losses suffered by the owners.
“I have given instructions to formulate these laws and work on them has already begun,” Chouhan said.
.
