By Abdul Bari Masoud, MM News,
New Delhi: At a massive protest demonstration against Dadri and Hamirpur lynching incidents held on Tuesday, political and social leaders and rights activists came down heavily on Prime Minister Narender Modi for his eerie silence over the barbaric incidents and growing the criminal activities of various Hindutva outfits in the country. Addressing the protest rally jointly organized by the leading Muslim organizations and right groups here at Jantra Mantra, they demanded quick action against the perpetrators of this heinous act as well as against Union Minister Mahesh Sharma and MLA Sangeet Som and other BJP leaders for inciting and justifying the crime.
Noted lawyer-activist and former Aam Aadmi Party leader Prashant Bhushan said he is bereft of words to denounce this ghastly act. Describing the BJP government as RSS government, Bhushan said Prime Minister Modi’s silence over these incidents is a well-thought out strategy as he is visiting abroad to build his image as ‘an international statesman’ while his foot soldiers were given the task of vitiating communal atmosphere in the country. He said Modi is responsible for this dangerous situation as minorities are feeling insecure. It was Modi who first talk about ‘Pink Revolution’ in the run up to the 2014 elections to whip up sentiments on cow-slaughter, said Bhushan and suggested a three-pronged strategy for countering the communal and fascist forces.
President of Muslim Political Council of India Dr Taslim Ahmad Rehmani said cow-slaughter is mere a ruse as real intention is to turn the country into ‘Hindu Rashtra’. He underlined that all the top exporters of beef are non-Muslims (including Upper caste Hindus and Jains) and the beef export has been increased by 15 percent since the Modi government came to power. He dared to RSS-BJP combine to fight assembly election in Bihar on Hindu Rashtra plank adding that it did not seek vote in the run up to the 2014 general elections on this plank.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind leader Engineer Mohammad Salim alleged that communal and fascist forces have been emboldened after the ascent of BJP government at the center and they have been carrying out their nefarious agenda with full impunity. He also criticized UP Chief Minister Akhlesh Singh Yadav for not paying a visit to slain Akhlaq’s family in Biasara village adding that the Samajwadi Party government has failed to contain communal force in the state.
Decrying the idea of Hindu Rashtra, Final Front’s leader Sanjay Singh (adv) said even the Supreme Court did describe in its ruling that Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life. Dalit activist Dr Oama Kant said atrocities on Dalit communities have been increased manifold since the advent of this government. Asking for a united fight against Brahminwad, he said a whopping 47,000 cases of atrocities on Dalits have been registered last year. Sikh leader Gurpreet Singh asked why the PM is silent on this serious issue while preaching message of love on foreign soil.
On the occasion, leaders of Muslim and rights organizations including All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, All India Milli Council, Markazi-Jamiat-Ahle-Hadees-Hind, Welfare party of India, South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre, United Sikh Mission, PUDR and APCR and others also addressed the gathering. Hundreds of people belonging to various faiths joined the demonstration who were holding placards, and banners decrying the PM and fascist forces.
Issuing a joint statement, they said:
“We are shocked and outraged at the well planned and targeted violence against the Muslim and Dalit community in different parts of the country ever since the NDA government assumed power in May 2014.
Two incidents which occurred last week are particularly disturbing and shocking. One is the brutal lynching by a frenzied mob on September 28of a 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq. Akhlaq’sson Danish (22) was also brutally beaten up and is fighting for his life in hospital. They were attacked for allegedly eating beef on Eid and ‘storing it’ for later consumption. In the second incident a 90-year-old Dalit Khimma Ahirwar died after he was brutally attacked with an axe and set on fire for trying to enter a temple at Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh on 02 October.
We strongly believe that these communal incidents are a logical culmination of the various provocative comments and statements coming from members of the BJP as well as the poison of hatred and bigotry being spread by various fringe outfits promoted by the RSS like SamadhanSena and the SanatanSanstha”.
We demand the following:
• Judicial enquiry into the lynching of Muhammad Akhlaq of Bisara village – Dadri
• High level enquiry on the criminal activities of various Hindutva outfits like SamadhanSena and the SanatanSanstha.
• Quick punishment to be awarded to those guilty of carrying out acts of violence and arson by taking the law in their hands.
• The UP government must ensure the safety and security of minorities and Dalits.
• The Union Government takes serious action against Union Minister Mahesh Sharma and MLA Sangeet Som and other BJP leaders for attempting to justify this heinous crime and communally inciting the villagers further.
• Prime Minister Modi must break his shameful silence on this brutal incident. The Union government should make a statement as regards the violence and hatred spread by the workers of RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal and their fictitious offshoots.
• Such police officers and officers in the administration who are responsible for lapses in keeping law and order situation in better shape should be made accountable for their failure and due punishment should be given to them.
• Due compensation should be given to the affected persons and their families with immediate effect.
• Police and administration should be instructed to allow public sentiments to be expressed by the affected communities and such demonstrators should not be harassed for using their democratic right.