Rajsamand/Kolkata: Unlike Pehlu Khan, Zafar Khan and many other lynching cases in Rajasthan, chief minister Vasundhara Raje, seeing the intensity of the crime, gruesome murder and filming of video of Mohmmed Ifrazul (Afrazul) she forced to condemn it on day one.
After the video of Shambhu Lal attacking a man with machete and burning him alive in a wood in Rajsamand went viral, sending shock waves across the country, chief minister Vasundhara was forced to condemn the act. In the press communiqué released by Vasundhara, said, “This is a deplorable act which needs to be condemned in strongest possible terms.” In her statement, Vasundhara tried to assure that the criminal will be prosecuted in shortest possible time.
Fifty-years-old Mohammed Ifrazul, a daily wage labour, as claimed by the family, had been lured on the pretext of work was killed in the most gruesome way. Shambhu had filmed the entire murder. In the video, circulated by him social media, he even claimed that he would be surrendering before the police as he is a law abiding citizen. However, Rajasthan police claimed that they have arrested him.
With the video going viral, social and human rights activists across Rajasthan were seen creating pressure on the CM and state home minister Gulabchand Kataria. Many demanded them to resign, and accused Vasundhara of turning a blind eye to Muslims in particular which has been regularly targeted and lynched to death in Rajasthan.
In a statement released, several organization collectively stated, “All (human right) organisations of Rajasthan are shocked at what is happening in the State in terms of lynching of Muslims. The latest one being, murder in cold blood of Ifrazul, a 48-year old migrant from West Bengal in Rajsamand, on the 25th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition.” The statement further demanded, “There is only one demand, Vasundhara Raje should resign now. She does not deserve to hold on to the post even for a day in the context of the absolute impunity provided to these killers and their supporters. Home Minister of Rajasthan Gulab Chand Kataria, has proved his incompetency in controlling these crimes which has left the Muslim Community even more insecure. The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister need to unambiguously condemn this crime.”
The activists in Rajasthan have been disturbed by Muslims in particular being lynched in the state and the CM not condemning the act or initiating a stern action against the killers. The latest killing of Mohammed Ifrazul from West Bengal, was the most disturbing one, as the video in particular shows, Sambhu justifying his act and even asking others to do what he has done.
The Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, which state the deceased belong had also strongly condemned the killing and tweet. “We strongly condemn the heinous killing of a labourer from Bengal in Rajasthan. How can people be so inhuman? Sad,” tweeted Banerjee.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot, termed the incident as failure of law and order in state and rule of goons.
However, Pilot was criticized in the social media for not terming it as hate-crime, because of which Ifrazul was brutally murdered.
