NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Modi said that he will not tolerate the killing of innocents in the name of mob lynching. On the other hand, his senior cabinet colleague honours the convicts with garlands and sweets.
Photographs of Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sinha standing and felicitating the eight men convicted of lynching a Muslim trader in Ramgarh have gone viral on social media platforms.
Sinha, an IIT, Harvard Business School and McKinsey alumnu and a son of former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha personally welcomed the lynching convicts at his residence and felicitating them with sweets and garlands.
A total of 11 men, including BJP functionary were found guilty and sentenced to life in connection with the lynching of a 55-year-old Muslim trader, Alimuddin alias Asgar Ali.
On June 29, 2017, Ansari was lynched by a mob of over 100 led by supporters of Bajrang Dal and the local cow protection committee on the suspicion that he was allegedly carrying beef in his car in the Bazaar Tand locality of Jharkhand’s Ramgarh town. The mob had also torched the vehicle of the victim.
Eight of the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment were granted bail by Jharkhand High Court last week. All the eight convicts were released on bail on Thursday from the Jai Prakash Narain Central Jail and headed straight to the minister’s residence with BJP state OBC morcha chief Amardeep Yadav.
This was the first case related to cow-vigilantism in the country in which all accused were convicted.
ALSO READ: Alimuddin lynching: 8 out of 11 convicts granted bail on his first death anniversary
Sinha’s support for the ‘KILLERS’ of Alimuddin Ansari has stunned everyone even more.
Lashing out at the minister, leader of Opposition in Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, said, “This is truly despicable. @Harvard Your alumnus @jayantsinha felicitating the accused in cow related lynching death in India. Is this what @Harvard stands for?”
This is truly despicable. @Harvard Your alumnus @jayantsinha felicitating the accused in cow related lynching death in India. Is this what @Harvard stands for? https://t.co/DJh8XRtoXl
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) July 6, 2018
Lawyer Prashant Bhushan commented, “Jayant Sinha hugs & garlands Ramgarh lynching convicts as they come out on bail! Obviously the junior Minister is keen to remain in the good books of his bosses Modi/Shah who patronise these lumpen thugs.”
Journalist Saba Naqvi wrote, “Wordless… Union Minister Jayant Sinha Garlands Ramgarh Lynching Convicts After Release on Bail.”
Activist Kavita Krishnan said, “Union Minister @jayantsinha Garlands Ramgarh Lynching Convicts, even as GoI says WhatsApp not Govt is responsible for lynching epidemic. Every single news channels ought to make it their full time business to demand an answer from @PMOIndia on this shame.”