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Dadri lynching was premeditated, moral policing spreading fast: Minorities panel

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Dadri

New Delhi: The lynching of man in Dadri last month strongly appeared to be the result of “pre-meditated planning” under which people were incited using a temple, the National Minorities Commission has said.

In its report, the minority panel also described as “disturbing” the “irreponsible comments” by politicians to make “capital” out of it

In an obvious reference to statements made by Union Minister Mahesh Sharma and some other BJP leaders following the lyching of Mohammed Iqlakh over rumours of beef eating that triggered a nation-wide outrage, the NCM said it will be “quite an understatement” to say the killing was merely an “accident as has been claimed even by some persons in authority”

A three-member team of the Commission headed by its chairman Naseem Ahmad had visited Bishada village near Dadri in Uttar Pradesh and interacted with family members of the victim, the concerned authorities and locals

“The team feels that a crowd of large numbers appearing within minutes of an announcement from temple’s loudspeaker and at a time when most villagers claimed they were asleep seems to point to some pre-meditated planning

“The facts as reported to the NCM team point strongly that the whole episode was the result of a planning in which a sacred place like temple was used for exhorting people of one community to attack a hapless family,” the report said

Quoting district officials, the NCM noted that two more attempts had been made to “incite” people by spreading a rumour that a cow had been killed but police responded instantly and did not allow the situation to escalate

50-year-old Iqlakh was beaten to death and his 22-year-old son Danish was critically injured by a 200-strong mob on September 28 following rumours that the family had consumed and stored beef

In an apparent criticism of BJP leaders who made controversial comments after the incident, the NCM said such statements further “vitiate” the relations between different communities and this should be stopped at all cost or “things will go out of hand”

What is more “disturbing”, the report said, is that “responsible persons converge at the place of any such incident and make irresponsible statements that further vitiates the relations between communities”

“All the political establishments need to counsel their cadres and sympathisers to desist from making irresponsible statements and making capital out of such outrages,” it said

The malaise of moral policing was spreading fast, especially in Western UP, it said and sought vigilance and curb on the use of social media as it was being extensively used to flare up communal passions.

(PTI)

Shiv Sena reacts to Modi’s Dadri remark; says ‘we respect him for Godhra’

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modi

Mumbai: Just hours after the Prime Minister termed the Dadri lynching incident and cancellation of Ghulam Ali’s concert in Mumbai as ‘unfortunate’, its alliance partner in Maharashtra-Shiv Sena has retaliated that the statements have come from the ‘Prime Minister’ and not ‘dear Modiji’.

Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut reacting to Modi’s comments raked up the 2002 Gujarat riots and said, “PM Modi got worldwide recognition because of Godhra and Ahmedabad incidents and we also respect him because of that, but if he has made such comments on Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and Ghulam Ali then it is unfortunate.”

Shiv Sena had earlier forced the cancellation of Pakistan ghazal singer Ghulam Ali’s concert in Mumbai. Columnist Sudheendra Kulkarni was also attacked with black paint by Shiv Sena activists protesting former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri’s book launch on Monday.

Earlier, in the day Modi while speaking to a newspaper had stressed that the BJP was opposed to pseudo-secularism.

On his party’s stand (on such incidents), Modi said, “The BJP never supported such kind of incidents. The opposition is raising the bogey of communalism against the BJP bringing those incidents but are they themselves not doing politics of polarisation”.

He said, “Such debate has taken place in the past. The BJP always opposed pseudo-secularism. Now again this debate is taking place in the face of unfortunate social malaise”.

“This debate can be resolved through dialogue and discussion,” he said.

Modi claimed that this a was merely vote bank politics and those parties resorting to such propaganda did not want the development of minorities.

(Agencies)

Dadri lynching and banning Pakistan singer regrettable; but don’t blame us: Modi

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Narendra_Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to Kolkata-based Bangla language newspaper Anand Bazaar Patrika, termed the Dadri incident ‘dukhad’ (unfortunate) and questioned the logic behind blaming the Central government for the incident.

He said the Dadri incident and the banning of Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali’s concerts were regrettable, but asked if it “is it fair to blame the Centre?”

Mohammad Akhlaq was beaten to death by a mob which suspected him of having stored and consumed beef. Several members of the BJP are among the suspects in the case.

‘Always practiced secularism’

The Prime Minister said that the “BJP had always practiced secularism in any situation where there have been differences; the party has never supported anyone involved in such incidents.”

He took on the Opposition too, saying that by accusing the BJP of communalism and polarising communities, “isn’t the Opposition itself guilty of polarising the atmosphere?”

(Agencies)

Lynching a man to death is small issue, says cop-turned-BJP MP

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Satyapal Singh

New Delhi: Police officer turned BJP MP Satyapal Singh today kicked up a row with his remarks calling Dadri lynching a “small incident”, evoking strong reactions from Opposition parties, which said it was a reflection of the party’s “polarisation” strategy.

“As far as a small incident like Dadri is concerned, our country’s democratic atmosphere is fully competent to handle. Our country is full competent to handle such incidents,” said Singh, who is the former Police Commissioner of Mumbai.

The BJP MP from Baghpat also said Government needs to take a view on the plight of Muslims as well as followers of other religion.

Reacting sharply to Singh’s comments on Dadri, Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said it is a reflection of what the BJP was trying to do.

“I am absolutely dismayed at the remarks of the BJP MP, who was also a former Police Commissioner of Mumbai,” he said, alleging that such remarks reflect the “strategy” of BJP to “usurp” power by “polarising” communities.

SP leader Rajiv Rai demanded an apology from the BJP and alleged that it was aiming at “communal polarisation”, which would be seen more as Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled in 2017 comes closer.

He wondered if Dadri is a minor incident, what else is a big incident. “They should apologise. I am disgusted that this statement comes from an MP, who was a former police commissioner.”

50-year-old Iqlakh was dragged out of his home by a 200-strong mob and beaten to death after a public announcement from the local temple that the family had slaughtered a calf and eaten its meat in Uttar Pradesh’s Bishada village in Dadri.

The Uttar Pradesh government has submitted a report to the Centre on the issue.

Concerned over communal incidents in Dadri and other places, the Centre had last week asked all states to take strictest action against those who attempt to weaken the secular fabric by exploiting religious emotions.

The incident has triggered a nationwide outrage with a number of eminent authors deciding to return their awards.

(Agencies)

Anti-beef rioter Sangeet Som is founder of ‘halal’ beef exporting company

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Sangeet Som

Meerut: BJP MLA Sangeet Singh Som, who is at the forefront of the frenzied anti-beef protests, is in fact a co-founder of one of India’s “halal” meat export companies, which exports beef along with other meat.

The company, Al-Dua Food Processing Private Ltd, was founded by Mr. Som, along with Moinuddin Qureshi and a third partner, to deal in meat and meat products in 2005. According to Al-Dua’s website, the company is now a “leading producer and exporter of halal meat from India.”

Mr. Som’s role in promoting the company is at variance with the BJP’s campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who during the Lok Sabha polls, called the growing meat exports the “pink revolution.” Mr. Modi and others have said that the growing meat exports were a cover for slaughter of cows.

When a national daily confronted Mr. Som with the evidence, he flatly denied having anything to do with meat business.

“There was nothing about meat. I am a pure Hindu and would do nothing to hurt Hindu sentiment. You would be surprised to know that despite being a Thakur I don’t eat even egg and start my day with a havan,” said Mr Som, who is also an accused in Muzaffarnagar communal riots.

According to the Memorandum of Association of Al-Dua Food Processing, filed on December 19, 2005, the company, which exports halal meat to Arab countries, was started “to carry on the business of (sic) manufacturers, producers, processors, buyers, sellers of and dealers in meat, meat products…”

Official documents show that in 2005-06, all three promoters of Al-Dua, one of India’s leading halal meat exporting companies Mr. Som co-founded, also advanced unsecured loans to the company. Mr. Som gave Rs. 4 lakh, Moinuddin Qureshi Rs. 7.60 lakh and Yogesh Rawat Rs. 4 lakh. The company also received unsecured loans from two other companies totalling Rs. 10 lakh.

Official filings with the Registrar of Company Affairs show that the company purchased a piece of land for Rs. 30,78,000 in 2005-06.

On March 27, 2008, Mr. Som ceased to be a director in the company. He transferred his 20,000 shares in the company to Nasira Begum at Rs. 10 a share. There is no evidence of Mr. Som receiving back the unsecured loan he gave the company, or of him charging any premium for the shares in the company.

Al-Dua was not the only business dealing between Mr. Som and Mr. Qureshi, one of India’s leading meat exporters. Mr. Som has also been involved as an additional director in Al-Anam Agro Foods Pvt. Ltd. with Mr. Qureshi.

A day after telling Hindustan Times that he was unaware of being appointed a director in the company and that his involvement was only in purchasing a plot in Aligarh for a meat processing plant, Mr. Som took a different line when The Hindu confronted him with the evidence. The BJP MLA from Sardhana constituency in Meerut, admitted that he was a director of Al-Dua for about two years because he had invested about Rs. 9 lakh in the property.

“Being one-third stakeholder of the land I was a director in Al-Dua. In fact, I only asked them to make me one of the directors. But just two years after that we sold the land to somebody so it ended my relationship with Al-Dua,” he said.

Mr. Som insisted that Al-Dua was just a piece of land when Mr. Qureshi along with Mr. Rawat, whom he kept on addressing as “Delhiwale pandit ji,” bought it.

“The Al-Dua Food Processing has the best processing facilities and is an established name and has a reputation for which our products are most sought after in all exotic markets. Al Dua Food Processing are specialists in the export of quality halal buffalo, sheep/lamb, goat meat and hides,” the company’s website claims.

(Agencies)

Dadri lynching: Meat in Akhlaq’s fridge not beef, but mutton

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Akhlaq's daughter and sister at his residence in Bisara village, in Dadri. (Photo: IE by Gajendra Yadav)

Akhlaq’s daughter and sister at his residence in Bisara village, in Dadri. (Photo: IE by Gajendra Yadav)

New Delhi: A forensic test has proved that the meat which was found in Akhlaq’s fridge was mutton, and not beef.

Police had sent a sample of the meat from Akhlaq’s fridge for forensic testing.

Initial tests had suggested that it was mutton. However, the police had further sent the sample to another lab for a conclusive report.

The conclusive tests also showed that it was mutton and not beef, official sources said.

The police, however, is being criticized for sending the meat sample for a forensic test because whether it was mutton or beef had little bearing on the crime.

On September 28, Akhlaq was allegedly beaten to death and his son left injured by a 200-strong mob following a rumour that his family was involved in cow slaughter.

(Agencies)

Kerala students condemn Dadri incident; Hold beef fests in campus

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kerala-students-beef-protest

New Delhi: Students in Kerala have come up with an innovative idea to protest lynching of Akhlaq over rumors that he had consumed beef. The students staged a stir by holding beef festivals in college campuses in the state.

The event saw students sharing a hearty meal of beef curry and bread. Invitations were also extended to those present in and around the campus.

The first such event was initiated by the CPI-M’s student wing SFI and was held at Sree Kerala Varma College in Thrissur on Oct 1. However, the event later ran into trouble after the ABVP activists reached the scene.

Six students were suspended by the college management as the institution has a long-standing rule against non-veg food inside the campus – the college is managed by the Cochin Devaswom Board.

But, not to be disheartened by the turn of events the cause was taken up by students of Ernakulam’s Maharaja’s College and this time it was Congress’ student wing KSU that took the lead.

The event witnessed happy faces eating beef as a mark of protest. A bunch of girls was even seen clicking selfies with plates of beef curry in their hand.

KSU leader Mohammed Rafi said, “KSU has conducted a beef festival…it is to protest against growing fascist elements in our country.”

Referring to the killing of Akhlaq, he added that fascist elements are active not just in northern parts of the country but also in Kerala.

He also slammed the management of Thrissur’s Sree Kerala Varma College for suspending students who held a ‘secular’ beef festival.

(Agencies)

Dadri like incidents hurt country’s image: Arun Jaitley

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arun jaitley

New York: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has condemned the lynching of a man over beef eating rumour in UP, saying such incidents hurt the country’s image.

“India is a mature society. We need to rise above these kinds of incidents because they certainly don’t give a good name as far as the country is concerned,” he told reporters here after a lecture at Columbia University yesterday.

He was responding when asked to comment on the lynching incident in Dadri which has happened at a time when the government was wooing foreign investors.

“I have also said they can amount to policy diversions in that context so it is the responsibility of every Indian in his actions or comments to stay clear of unfortunate and condemnable instances like this,” the senior BJP leader said.

A 50-year-old man was lynched and his son was critically injured by a mob in Dadri on last Monday after rumours that they had consumed beef.

(Agencies)

Dadri lynching: BJP leader Sangeet Som continues to unleash communal hatred

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Sangeet Som

Dadri: Stirring the political cauldron, controversial BJP MLA Sangeet Som today visted Dadri where he attacked Samajwadi Party government, alleging it was appeasing the minority community and innocent people were being framed for lynching of a man over beef eating rumour.

Som, who was accused of making inflammatory speeches during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots, alleged that state government was acting in a biased manner like it did during violence in western Uttar Pradesh two years ago and was shielding those who had “slaughtered cow”.

“Like they had taken the accused in Muzaffarnagar riots in a plane, they have taken those who have slaughtered cow in a plane. Even when a person is killed, they have different set of rules. Sanjay Rahul Yadav was shot in the incident, but is anyone aware. Did the government help him,” Som told reporters as the victim Ikhlaq’s family met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow today.

The UP lawmaker’s remarks came even as BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the incident should not be given communal colour or politicised.

Som questioned why the state government had allowed AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi to visit the village and spread “communal frenzy”.

“A person like Owaisi was allowed to come here from Hyderabad. Is the Samajwadi Party government colluding with him? A person from Hyderabad comes and is able to make such statements. Is it not the weakness of the government? This government is trying to appease a particular community,” the MLA said.

Questioning the arrests in the lynching case, he said, “We don’t want that those guilty of murder should not be tried but the government should stop framing the innocent.

“Murder cases are on the rise in the state but is the government acting in the same manner in those cases. Are terrorists living here? Police should make arrests only after completing the investigation,” the MLA said.

Iqlakh, 50, was dragged out of his home and stoned to death on a village street after a public announcement from the local temple that the family had slaughtered a calf and eaten its meat.

While Iqlakh died, his 22-year-old son Danish is battling for life at a hospital following two brain surgeries.

Police have arrested eight persons and detained a Home Guard for questioning after the local temple priest alleged that he forced him to make the announcement.

Police had yesterday two persons — Vishal and Shivam. One of them was reported to be the son of a local BJP leader. However, BJP leader Harish Thakur denied that the father of the accused was a BJP office bearer and said he may be a BJP supporter.

Meanwhile, Congress attacked the BJP and its government at the Centre over the incident and said all progressive thinking people should stand up against it.

“This is a politco-ideological murder. There are some people who are trying to change the narrative of the country. They want that the minority should be second grade citizens.

“The Government wants to dictate as to what people should eat, what people should wear, how people should talk. So this is an issue on which all progressive, liberal and right thinking need to stand together,” Congress leader Manish Tewari said.

(Agencies)

Dadri is second Babri, will raise issue in UN: SP leader Azam Khan

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Azam Khan

Lucknow: Taking the political slugfest over Dadri lynching incident to another level, Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, Monday, declared that he will approach the United Nations to seek justice.

Asserting that the Dadri incident is no less than the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, Khan said that the RSS and the BJP have declared that they will create ‘Hindu Rashtra’.

“If Hindustan becomes Hindu Rashtra then what will be the role of Muslims? If Muslims wanted to live in a country based on religion then the road to Pakistan was open for them in 1947 but they stayed back on assurance by Mahatma Gandhi and others.”

Muslims stayed back to be in a country governed by rules; if Muslims live here then what will be the status of them?, he added.

Khan said that he will raise the rising cases of communal violence in the UN. “Our approaching the UN is not going against India but we are appealing to the UN. I have sought audience with secretary general of the UN,” he said.

“There should be a round table conference on what will be the new map of India and how people will live in the country,” he said.

Khan also found a link between the Dadri incident and the upcoming assembly polls in Bihar. “Now the agenda of Bihar polls is not development, now it is being said that anyone who has beef meat in his stomach is to be killed.”

(Agencies)

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