BJP using Ram Mandir in manifesto for the last 30 years to sharpen communal polarisation: Yechury
New Delhi, Apr 8: The mention of the Ram Mandir in the BJP manifesto is no surprise, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said Monday, alleging that the saffron party has been using it for the last 30 years in a bid to "sharpen communal polarisation."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday released the manifesto, titled 'Sankalpit Bharat, Sashakt Bharat' (Determined India, Empowered India), which includes including expeditious construction of a Ram temple, a firm hand in dealing with terrorism and doubling farmers income in the next three years.
"Is this a surprise? For the last 30 years, every single 'jumla ghoshna' of theirs has included construction of the Ram Mandir... This point was continuously being repeated. Every election they did it. Their whole agenda is that of sharpening communal polarisation and hoping that it would garner them some votes. But they are sorely mistaken," Yechury told reporters.
"Their only target is to consolidate the Hindutva communal vote bank. But this time that is not going to happen," he claimed.
The CPI(M) general secretary further said the ruling party's manifesto was a "fresh set of jumlas" which have been "unleashed" upon India.
"But the people will never forget the disaster that this Modi government unleashed on their lives and livelihoods in the past five years. No fresh set of tamasha can hide the truth," he said.
In the manifesto, the BJP also resolved to annul Article 35 A of the Constitution which says no outsider can own property in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Jammu and Kashmir has been a disaster. Terrorists attacks have been due to the deepening alienation of the people of the state. The number of terrorist attacks has risen by 176 per cent.
"They said that after the surgical strikes, it would stop, after that Pulwama happened. They said after Balakot it would stop, but even after that at least 15 security personnel have been martyred. Their statements have further alienated the people and giving fertile ground for terrorism to breed," Yechury alleged.
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Stripped to identify religion, ears cut off: Muslim hawker from Bihar dies a week after lynching
Police deny religious angle in the case
Patna: Mohammed Athar Hussain, a 55-year-old Muslim cloth vendor, tragically died on Friday, a week after sustaining severe injuries in a horrific lynching, reported The Print.
Hussain, who made his living by selling clothes on a bicycle in the rural areas of Nawada for the last decade, is survived by his wife, Shabnam Parveen, and three children.
Before his death at a government hospital, Hussain recorded a video statement.
In the video, which is doing rounds on social media platforms, Hussain alleged that four men initially locked him in a room. They later returned late at night and, stripped him to find out his religion, identifying him as a "miyan ji" (a Muslim). He claimed the assailants then poured petrol on him, branded him with a hot iron rod, and used pliers to cut off his ear.
Furthermore, he stated, "The assault continued as some were beating with sticks, while others were using pliers to cut off my fingers and ear."
Speaking to The Print, his brother, Mohammed Shaqib, described the shock of seeing his elder brother's picture injured, telling that the family had been dealt a blow from which it would never recover.
No mention of lynching in FIR
Meanwhile, quoting Nawada Sadar SDPO Hulas Kumar, The Print reported that while the victim made serious allegations, his wife did not document the specific claim that her husband was stripped to determine his religion in her initial police complaint, dated December 6.
Furthermore, a senior police official in Patna denied this was a religious lynching, instead terming it a case of "mistaken identity" where the deceased was assaulted under suspicion of theft.
Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar confirmed that both the murder case against the assailants and a separate theft complaint, filed by one of the accused against Hussain, are being probed to reach a logical conclusion.
The DGP told The Print that while the theft case is being investigated, the focus is clearly more on the lynching case.
Following Hussain's death, Nawada Police upgraded the charges, adding Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with the offense of murder.
According to reports, police have successfully arrested nine people in connection with the assault, including four individuals specifically named in the FIR filed by Hussain’s wife.
One of the nine accused, Sikandar Yadav, is the same man who accused Hussain of theft, claiming that this accusation led to the assault.
The statements given by arrested suspects, including Sree Yadav and Ranjan Kumar, reportedly led police to the remaining five accused.
Further probe in this regard is underway.
