New Delhi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday asked officials to investigate an incident wherein a person was thrashed, forced to lick his own spit, and chant ‘Jai Shriram’ allegedly by BJP workers for abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to news agency PTI, the incident took place during a silent protest by BJP near the Gandhi statue in Dhanbad. BJP members were holding a silent protest against the security lapse during PM Modi’s Punjab visit when the passerby, reportedly a Muslim, allegedly abused the Prime Minister and BJP Jharkhand president Deepak Prakash.
A purported video of the incident was shared on Twitter wherein the man was captured seeking pardon with his palms firmly together.
While the police did not make a statement on the identity of the man, the tweet identified him as a Muslim youth.
CM Hemant Soren quoted the tweet as he sought strict action against the culprits.
“Please investigate the matter and take strict action against the culprits. There is no place for enmity in this state where people live peacefully,” he wrote.
Dhanbad superintendent of police (City), R Ramkumar told PTI, “Strict action will be taken against the guilty.”
As per PTI, neither the victim nor BJP leaders lodged any complaint with the police about the incident till evening.
BJP stated that it is probing the incident and if anyone is found guilty action will be taken against the person.
Jharkhand BJP spokesperson, Kunal Sarangi said: “This kind of kangaroo justice is not acceptable. It is not about any religion and political outfit. It applies to all citizens of India.”
“I surely don’t approve of what the man had to say about our state president. But that could have been reported to the local police to allow the law to take its course instead of beating him and making him lick his own spit,” he added.
The dharna that went on for two hours had Dhanbad MP PN Singh, MLA Raj Sinha, district BJP president Chandrashekhar Singh and other senior leaders of the party in attendance.
PTI reported Chandrashekhar Singh as claiming that the man was handed over to the police to save him from the ire of the party workers present at the spot.
Jharkhand Assembly had on December 22 passed the Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021, which aims to provide “effective protection” of constitutional rights of people and the prevention of mob violence in the state which has been witnessing cases of vigilantism.
(With Agency Inputs)