Centre can't be blamed for law and order in states: Rijiju

Hyderabad, Oct 30: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju today said that the state governments should take up the responsibility of the incidents in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka and termed the move by those returning awards as one aimed at trying to bring disrepute to the Centre.

The Union Minister of State for Home told reporters here while referring to Dadri lynching case in Uttar Pradesh, murder of MM Kalburgi in Karnataka and killing of a truck driver transporting cows in Himachal Pradesh.

Stressing that law and order was a state subject, he said the central government cannot be held responsible for the incidents happening in states.

"Incidents happened in UP, Himachal(Pradesh), Karnataka... how can Central government be responsible for them?" Rijiju asked.

"The state governments should take responsibility for the incidents," he said.

"Law and order is a state subject," Rijiju said, adding that the Central government intervenes (only) when (law and order) issue becomes "big" and in matters of internal security.

"The move to return awards is an attempt to bring disrepute to the Central government," he added.

Meanwhile, when asked as to when would Chhota Rajan be extradited (deported), Rijiju said, "It's a process. CBI team has to take a call. Since he is not in our custody. It's difficult for the Home Ministry to talk about the extradition."

On Rajan expressing threat to his life, the Minister said it is for the Indonesian government to address his concerns and keep him in safe custody.

He also said it is not correct to talk about the correspondence of CBI, which is Interpol's agency in India, in public.

On the "plan" to bring underworld don Dawood Ibrahim back to India, Rijiju said, "I cannot talk about the process right now."

PTI