Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday blamed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre for protecting those accused of lynching. He alleged that the Jharkhand government was diluting the case against those accused of lynching Tabrez Ansari, who was tied to a pole, forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and beaten to death for alleged theft.
The Jharkhand police on Tuesday dropped murder charges against 11 accused in the case.
Addressing mediapersons, Mr Owaisi said a BJP MP of Jharkhand had admitted that he had supported the accused. Jharkhand is set to have elections in October-November. Altering the case is typical before the polls, Mr Owaisi said adding that the BJP had decided to protect the accused.
Ansari was assaulted by a mob and died due to a skull fracture after being beaten for seven hours. The government was protecting the accused by not imposing IPC Section 302 (murder) but Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).
Replying to a question, Mr Owaisi said, “the issue of Ansari is bigger than the election, it should be considered as an issue of humanity. Why should we see it as a political issue,” he asked.
“The right to life is a fundamental right acc-ording to the Constitution and if a government failed to protect this life, it is a black mark upon it,” he said. This is a matter of governance. Instead of supporting oppressed people, the government is protecting criminals.
The MIM president said mob lynching will not end as the persecutors are getting patronage from their political bosses. It will end only if the Modi-led Centre and the state governments send a strong message that such lynchings will be severely punished.
He condemned the statement of the National Security Adviser (NSA) that the government will relax conditions in Kashmir when Pakistan refrains from mischief. He asked "Kashmir is an absolute part of India and will remain so, but we want to ask the Modi government, why you are linking the matter with Pakistan? With this you are strengthening their stand.”
He asked, “if there is peace, why were the people in Srinagar not allowed to carry out a Muharram procession? why is Internet not yet available? If there is peace, why schools are not functioning there, why has the daughter of a former chief minister approached the court to meet her father?”
On the issue of a Pakistani former lawmaker seeking asylum in India, Mr Owaisi asked, “How can he claim religious persecution when he belongs to the ruling party.” He demanded the Modi government to immediately sign the Refugee Con-vention of 1951 Treaty.
