Hindutva goons in Himachal Pradesh assault migrant hawker for entering town near Shimla; Booked
Shimla: Four individuals have been booked for assaulting and threatening a migrant hawker in Dhami, around 30 km from Shimla, amid ongoing tensions regarding alleged illegal mosques and the rise in the number of undocumented migrants in the state.
The incident came to light after a video circulated online, showing a man demanding the hawker’s Aadhaar card. When the hawker, riding a bike, failed to produce the card, the assailant slapped him multiple times, hurling abusive language. The video further shows the accused forcing the hawker into a "murga" punishment position and threatening to kill him with a sword. The perpetrator is also heard asking his associate to fetch the weapon.
In the footage, locals are heard questioning the hawker about his return to the village after allegedly being warned to stay away.
Shimla Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi confirmed the incident, stating that an investigation has been initiated. This attack comes in the wake of protests in certain parts of the state, led by Hindu organizations, against alleged illegal mosques and unidentified migrants. In September, some of these groups had urged the state government to verify the identities of migrants residing in Himachal Pradesh.
Condemning the incident, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sanjay Chauhan took to social media to denounce the attack. In his post, Chauhan called for strict legal action against the culprits and warned against the growing communal discord in the state.
"This shameful act has no place in an educated and peaceful state like Himachal Pradesh. Some elements are intentionally creating communal tensions, which is damaging the state's reputation. Incidents like these are affecting tourism and other businesses, which are vital for the livelihood of thousands of families," Chauhan stated.
The police have registered a case and are continuing their investigation into the matter.
#Dhami, Himachal Pradesh: A hindutva goon is seen assaulting a hawker for entering into village to sell goods, he can be heard saying “laa wo meri talwar is ko kaat hi dete hai aaj” in Dhami, HP few kms away from the state capital.
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Either it's BJP ruled state or Congress ki… pic.twitter.com/rOgvLVsZXg
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
