Differences in Congress, BJP over Hyderabad encounter

New Delhi : Congress leader and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi has come out in support of the Hyderabad police action in shooting dead the four accused in the rape and murder of a veterinary doctor while senior leader P. Chidambaram demanded a thorough probe.

Singhvi tweeted: "Sometimes in spite of all the debates and #HumanRights logics, we shall understand the mood and sentiments of the people of the nation and stand with them. After all, democracy is all about 'The People'." Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also tweeted in support of the police, but he later deleted his tweet.

Former home minister P. Chidambaram said the encounter should be thoroughly inquired into to find out if it was a genuine encounter. He said: "I am not aware of the facts and what happened in Hyderabad.

As a responsible citizen, I can say it must be thoroughly inquired into, to find out if it was a genuine encounter whether they were trying to flee or was it anything else." BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi said in the House: "The encounter has happened as per the law. Being a lawyer, I can say that there is nothing wrong in this encounter."

she also said that "weapons given to the police are not just ornaments."

Veteran BJP leaders like Uma Bharti and Shivraj Singh Chouhan have also spoken in support of the encounter done by the Hyderabad police on Friday morning. However, former union minister and BJP MP Maneka Gandhi opposed the police action by calling it against the law.

"It is very dangerous," she said and added: "You cannot kill people because you want to. You cannot take the law in your hands, they would have been hanged by Court anyhow. If the justice will be served like this, then what is the need of courts and police in this country?"