At his weekly press briefing today, Patel said the violence in the Dangs should not have occurred and the government would not allow anyone to take law in his hand and would deal firmly with miscreants creating communal tension.

Asked, Patel said the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) had not made any recommendations to the Government, but put across certain suggestions to protect minorities in the wake of attacks about three months ago. However, Pandya, seated next to Patel, immediately corrected him and said the NCM had made a couple of recommendations and the government was implementing them.

To a query, Patel said every citizen had the right under the Constitution to follow his/her religion, but the government would not hesitate to initiate legal action if anyone found indulging in conversion through coercive means.

Pandya said an additional company of State Reserved Police (SRP) and police vehicles were deployed in each of the four districts, besides Surat city, in South Gujarat as part of the precautionary measures taken by the State Home Department. Moreover, a list of miscreants was being prepared and the collectors of these districts were directed to set up peace committees.

Pandya announced that the government would pay compensation to those whose properties had been damaged in the Dangs.

To a question, Pandya said the Dangs violence had started with stoning by a group Christians at the Hindu Jagaran Manch rally in Ahwa on Christmas. Besides, some Hindus were injured in a private firing at Vanki village in the Dangs and sarpanch Dinkar Gavli, a tribal Christian, and two others were arrested, he said.