Enraged at the lynching of Tabrez Ansari in Jharkhand, Muslim community leaders have demanded that lynching should be treated on a par with terrorism and the perpetrators should get the strictest possible punishment.
“Lynching is no lesser crime than terrorism. It is going on across the country, especially in Jharkhand, where 13 to 14 people have lost their lives. However, the Central government is unconcerned,” said Hafiz Anwar, Secretary of civil society body Jamilulumahind. Members of the body visited Tabrez’s village on Wednesday.
“In 2017, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to bring in a stringent law in this connection. Both the Centre and the State government have maintained silence. The issue never figures prominently in discussions in Parliament,” said Mr. Answar.
“The lynching case should be heard in fast-track courts and stringent punishment, including death penalty and life imprisonment, should be awarded after completing the court proceedings within six month,” he demanded.
“As far as Tabrez is concerned, he was mercilessly beaten to death. Even if he was accused of theft, there was court of law to take care of it. Who had given the perpetrators the right to take law into their own hands? Now, those who have been arrested should be taken to task immediately,” demanded Tabrez’s fellow villagers.
“If he was accused of theft, why was he made to chant ‘Jai Sriram’ and ‘Jai Hanuman’? It was done only after he revealed his identity. As both the BJP and the RSS have spread hatred all across the country, people on ground are getting encouraged to commit such heinous crimes. The doctor and jailor who have neglected their duty should be terminated from their service,” Mr. Anwar said.
The Jharkhand unit of the Congress has released the names of 18 victims of lynching that had taken place between March 18, 2016 and June 17, 2019. Of the 18, 11 belonged to the Muslim community.
The three-member Jharkhand State Minority Commission, which visited Kadamdia village on Tuesday, had assured the villagers that the incident would be investigated afresh with seriousness.
The Saraikela-Kharsawan district police are looking for 108 people in Dhatkidih village, where Tabrez was lynched. So far, 11 have been arrested.
