INDIA bloc, BJP spar over Bokaro lynching row
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Ranchi: Tensions escalated in Jharkhand's political corridors on Sunday as opposition BJP stepped up its attack on the
INDIA bloc
govt, accusing it of "
political appeasement
" and neglecting tribal communities.
The govt, however, defended its move, saying it stands with every victim, regardless of who they are.
BJP's charge centred around the govt's decision to compensate to the family of a youth from a minority community who died following a mob thrashing in Bokaro last week after he allegedly attempted to rape a tribal girl.
The incident took place in Bokaro's Pek Narayanpur on May 8, when the youth identified as Abdul Kalam, a daily wage labourer, was tied to a tree and assaulted on suspicion of molesting the tribal girl.
Addressing the media on Sunday, BJP legislator from Sareikela constituency and former chief minister Champai Soren criticised the govt for extending financial help to the accused and neglecting the tribal girl. He also accused the alliance govt of continuing with appeasement politics.
Champai asked whether the Jharkhand govt has now decided to reward a "rapist". "The Muslim man (Kalam) allegedly attempted to rape a tribal woman.
When the woman raised an alarm, people gathered and, in the process of rescuing her, there was a scuffle with the accused. Following the incident, the accused died later, according to police. Everyone has the right to self-defence and there should be no sympathy for such criminals," he added.
The former CM termed the extension of financial assistance to Kalam's family by the govt as a "shameless act". A day after the alleged molestation incident, health minister Irfan Ansari, "announced financial assistance of Rs one lakh each from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Jharkhand chief minister and rupees four lakhs from the govt side, along with a job in the health department for the rapist's family," he added.
Replying to Champai's allegations, Ansari said BJP has been deliberately using a tribal woman to give the matter a caste-based and political twist. The minister urged all political parties to come together on a common platform to oppose heinous acts like
mob lynching
, while accusing BJP as the origin of mob lynching in the country and tearing apart the social fabric of the nation.
"The attitude of BJP has been unfortunate. This party garlands and honours those who commit mob lynching, while targeting innocent people and strangling the very idea of justice," Ansari said.
He added, "The truth of the Bokaro incident is a matter of investigation, and an inquiry is going on. The govt stands with every victim, regardless of who they are. A criminal has no caste, and no one has the right to take the law into their own hands. If any incident occurs, police and administration are there to deal with it."
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