Mobocracy horrifying hallmark of our times: Cong on lynching of Dalit man in Raebareli
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Tuesday condemned the killing of a Dalit man in Raebareli as murder of humanity and the Constitution, and said it poses a serious question mark on collective morality as violence cannot be a hallmark of any civilised society.
In a joint statement, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi alleged that mob lynching, bulldozer injustice, and mobocracy have become a "horrifying hallmark of our times".
A 40-year-old Dalit man identified as Hariom was allegedly lynched by villagers who mistook him for a thief during a night vigil amid rumours that a gang was using drones for surveillance to mark houses for robberies, police said on Monday.
In a post on X in Hindi, Gandhi said the brutal murder of Hariom is not just the murder of one person but murder of humanity, the Constitution, justice.
"Today in India, Dalits, tribals, Muslims, backward classes, and the poor—everyone whose voice is weak, whose share is being snatched away, and whose life is considered cheap—is being targeted," he said.
"Hate, violence, and mobocracy have the patronage of power in this country—where bulldozers have replaced the Constitution, and fear has replaced justice," he said.
Expressing solidarity with Hariom's family, the former Congress president said "they will surely get justice. India's future rests on equality and humanity, and this country will be governed by the Constitution, not the whims of the mob".
While sharing the joint statement, Kharge said in a post on X, "The Congress Party strongly condemns the brutal and cruel murder of Dalit youth Hariom Valmiki in Rae Bareli".
In their joint statement, the Congress leaders said our country has one Constitution that recognises every human being as equal and there is a law that gives equal status to the security, rights, and expression of every citizen.
"What happened in Rae Bareli is a grave offense against the Constitution of this country. It is a crime against the Dalit community and a stain on this country and society.
"The number of crimes against Dalits, minorities, and the poor in the country has increased beyond limits. This violence is most prevalent against those who are deprived, Bahujan, and those who have neither adequate participation nor representation," they said.
Whether it is crimes against women in Hathras and Unnao, the murder of Hariom in Rae Bareli, or, more recently, the institutionalised murder of Rohit Vemula, the inhumane incident of a leader urinating on a tribal youth in Madhya Pradesh, the brutal beating of Dalits in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, or the murders of Pehlu Khan in Haryana and Akhlaq in Uttar Pradesh, each incident reflects the growing insensitivity of our society, administration, and ruling powers, they also said.
Alleging that since 2014, trends like mob lynching, bulldozer injustice, and mobocracy have become a horrifying hallmark of our times, Kharge and Gandhi said, "Violence cannot be a hallmark of any civilized society, therefore, what happened to Hariom poses a serious question mark on our collective morality."
The India of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar's dreams and the India of Mahatma Gandhi's "Vaishnav Jan" is an India of social justice, equality, and compassion, in which such crimes have no place, they said, adding that humanity is the only way.
"The Congress Party is committed to the empowerment of the marginalised and vulnerable sections of society. We call upon citizens to unite against this injustice. This fight must continue until the rights and dignity of life of every Indian are fully protected," the statement said.
Five people have been arrested in the case and three police personnel have been suspended for alleged negligence, they said, adding the accused come from different social backgrounds, including Dalits and other backward castes. Police appealed to residents not to spread any caste-related rumours about the incident.
Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai on Monday visited Hariom's family and claimed that the victim was beaten up when he took Rahul Gandhi's name. He alleged that "jungle raj" was prevailing in the state. Gandhi spoke to the victim's brother on phone and assured him of all support.
On Wednesday night, Hariom was walking to his in-laws' house in the New Basti area of Unchahar town to meet his wife Pinky and his daughter Ananya when some villagers became suspicious of his movement near the Jamunapur crossing and started questioning him, police said.
When he failed to respond to their queries, the villagers brutally thrashed him, suspecting him of being a thief, they said.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
