Following the brutal killing of a 26-year-old Bajrang Dal Rinku Sharma on Thursday, eyewitnesses have revealed startling information about one of the accused Zahid and his uncle Tasuddin.
As per Rinku’s friend Akash, Rinku Singh had nothing to do with the fight that broke out at the restaurant and the theories about Rinku Sharma being murdered because of the scuffle at the birthday party is completely false. The scuffle was actually between one accused Zahid and another friend of theirs, Sachin, that did not involve Rinku at all. Aakash’s statement also gives credence to the family’s version that Rinku was murdered not because of some fight at a birthday party but because the Muslim mob was enraged by Rinku chanting Jai Shree Ram and wanted to get back at him for collecting funds for Ram Mandir, Ayodhya.
In fact, it is pertinent to remember that the family of Rinku had said that the Muslim mob had been harassing Rinku for almost 6 months after he had celebrated the Bhoomi Pujan of Ram Mandir.
Aakash, the friend of Rinku Sharma, also said that Tasuddin, Zahid’s uncle, misbehaved with him at the hospital where Rinku was admitted. Sachin, who had a verbal fight with Zahid also claimed that 10-12 men had barged into his house, but he had called 100 immediately and thus, got saved.
The Rinku Sharma murder case: What we know so far
Rinku Sharma was a resident of Delhi’s Mangolpuri area. Besides rendering his voluntary service to the Hindu organisation, Rinku Sharma worked as a lab technician in a hospital in Paschim Vihar. He was brutally stabbed and murdered by a mob of 25-30 Muslims from his neighbourhood. The young activist is survived by his mother Radha Devi, father Ajay Sharma and brothers Ankit and Manu Sharma. The Delhi police have arrested five people so far, including Zahid, Mehtab, Tasuddin, Nasruddin, and Mohammed Islam.
Speaking to Sudarshan News, Rinku Sharma’s brother said that the murderers are a group of five Muslim brothers who had barged into their home with other family members and associates. The brother said that the five Muslim brothers had threatened the Sharma family earlier too because of an event organised for the Ram Mandir. The brother explained that the five Muslim brothers and their associates had beaten up other family members too.
Two days after the brutal murder of Bajrang Dal activist Rinku Sharma in Delhi, the Delhi Police on Saturday decided to transfer the Mangolpuri murder case to the crime branch. Till now, Mangolpuri police officials were investigating the Rinku Sharma murder case.
It is pertinent to note that soon after the murder, the Delhi Police had said that there was no ‘communal angle‘ to the murder even though the family had said that Rinku Sharma was murdered by Islamists because he chanted Jai Shree Ram and was collecting funds for Ram Mandir. The Rinku Sharma murder case has been transferred to the Crime Branch after questions were raised regarding the investigation by the Delhi Police and their initial assessment of the case.
The initial assessment of the Delhi police in the Mangolpuri murder case did not go well with the residents of Delhi and also several social media users, who demanded a detail investigation into the murder case. After the backlash, the Delhi Police had backtracked a bit to state they are investigating ‘all angles’ related to the brutal murder of Bajrang Dal activist Rinku Sharma.
Delhi Police transfers case after outrage from several quarters
The Delhi Police had initially maintained that Rinku Sharma was stabbed to death following an argument during a birthday party. “Both the sides had a rivalry over opening food joints close to each other”, the Delhi Police had said. This statement was disputed by the brother of Rinku Sharma who said that Rinku was a lab technician and did not have a food joint or even intended to open one. The Police had gone as far as to say that any other motive attributed to the crime was ‘factually wrong’.
Rinku, 25, was stabbed at birthday party in Mangolpuri on Feb 10. He later died at hospital. Quarrel turned scuffle began over shutting down of a restaurant. Any other motive alluded to incident factually wrong. 4 accused arrested: S.Dhama, Addl DCP, Outer district, Delhi Police pic.twitter.com/X3aYzrhfjj
Even as Delhi Police came on record to say that there was no ‘communal angle’ to the murder of Rinku Sharma, more evidence and videos emerged on social media that clearly showed that the case was not as cut and dry as the Delhi police were making it out to be with their statement. In addition to that, the family of the deceased, neighbours, friends had all asserted that Rinku Sharma was murdered by a mob of 15-20 Muslims after a clash that erupted during the Ram Mandir donation drive on Wednesday.
The distressed father, barely managing to keep himself sitting, recounted the horror to the media. He said that the assailants barged into the house with sticks and knives and brutally stabbed Rinku to death. However, without taking these factors into account, the Delhi Police had initially assessed that there was no communal angle in the death of Rinku Sharma.
After widespread outrage, the Delhi Police had changed its tunes and asserted that they were ‘probing all angles’ related to the murder of Rinku Sharma.
However, that limited assertion did not assuage soaring anger after the Delhi Police’s initial statement. Following the demands of the family of Rinku Sharma and various other organisations, the Delhi Police has now decided to transfer the case to special crime branch from the Mangolpuri police station. It seems that the initial mistrust that was sown and the initial downplaying of communal angle by the Mangolpuri police has now led to transfer to the crime branch.
Rinku Sharma stabbed to death for seeking donations for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya
The 26-year-old Rinku Sharma, who worked as a lab technician in a hospital in Paschim Vihar, was attacked on the night of Wednesday. Sharma was killed in cold blood for raising ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans and being a part of the donation drive for the Ram Mandir. He was reportedly attacked by a group of 25–30 people. The police have arrested four accused in the case. They have been identified as Mohammad Islam, Danish Naseeruddin, Dilshan and Dilshad Islam.
Rinku was actively involved in the fundraising campaign for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. According to the report, an awareness rally was taken out last month regarding Ram temple’s construction in the area. During that time, Rinku had a dispute with the accused. However, the case was settled with the intervention by the locals. Following this, Rinku had a dispute with the accused at a birthday party. On Wednesday night, he was attacked after the culprits barged into his house and stabbed him to death.
Days before his murder, Rinku had donated his blood to the wife of one of the attackers who killed him. The woman was pregnant one and a half years ago and was in a critical condition. Blood was needed for treatment. In such a situation, Rinku gave his blood, not once but twice, to the accused’s wife.
Farmers in Rajasthan reportedly tore the posters of Congress scion Rahul Gandhi and raised slogans against him during his visit to the state yesterday. The farmers also showed him black flags after stopping his convoy in Sri Ganganagar. Rahul Gandhi is reportedly on a two-day visit to the state to address the issue of farm laws. Rahul Gandhi addressed rallies in Pilibanga and Sri Ganganagar on the first day of his visit.
Congress government did not allow farmers to enter Jaipur: Farmers
Speaking to Republic TV, one of the protesting farmers named Jaiveer Singh accused Rahul Gandhi of visiting the state for political gains and not for raising the farmers’ issues. Singh said that Rahul Gandhi was trying to fool the farmers. “We have been agitating against the farm laws for the past 3 months. But here you should call it a Congress rally. You are hoisting Kisan flags and fooling us? When we held a march on November 1 against the laws, it was your government which did not allow us to enter Jaipur. You are saying BJP government doesn’t allow to enter Delhi, then how is your government different?”, Singh said.
Rahul Gandhi is here is organise a political rally in the name of farmers: Farmers
Singh said that the farmers wanted to speak to Rahul Gandhi and therefore had sought permission to meet him. The permission was granted but the farmers were not allowed to meet him later. “He walked away childishly without meeting us. So we tore his posters and we will do it again”, he added.
Another farm said that Gandhi did not want to speak to the farmers and that he only wanted to gather a crowd for his political rally. It is the allegation of the farmers that Congress took out the rally for political gains in the pretext of addressing farmers’ issues.
Congress and how it has fanned protests
It is rather interesting to see Rahul Gandhi being opposed by so-called farmers in Jaipur when Congress has been constantly fanning violence in the name of farmers.
As we have maintained here at OpIndia, the Congress Party will be more than willing to set the entire country on fire if only they could rule over the ashes. They have demonstrated that quite eloquently during the whole set of events.
The only thing that mattered to the Congress party is that it saw an opportunity which it could use to undermine the ruling dispensation. It conveniently ignored the fact that they had advocated for the same reforms earlier. Instead, they threw their full weight behind the protesters.
Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, former president of the Congress party, and in all probability the next one, has been making comments that come across as WhatsApp forwards. “There is no deadlock. The government, in its arrogance, believes that they can tire out farmers. But farmers cannot be fooled. Indian farmers know more than the Prime Minister. There is only one solution that they have to take back the laws,” he said addressing a press conference.
More recently, he has said that the three laws will permit ‘2-3 big industrialists’ to take over Indian agriculture. Such rhetoric had terrible consequences and eventually, Jio Towers were vandalised in Punjab in large numbers. The Punjab Chief Minister had to come out strongly against the vandals but it is his own party that incited the whole fracas. The Congress party-led the horse to the water and then cried foul when the horse decided to drink it.
The constant fear-mongering by the Congress party of a protest that was clearly led by Khalistanis added fuel to fire, a fire that culminated with the violence on Republic Day in Delhi.
While the Congress party has been fuelling tension and violence that led to the siege of Delhi, it is interesting that the Congress government itself did not allow the so-called farmers to enter Jaipur. It appears as though while the Congress wants the fire to remain burning in order to keep the offensive up against PM Modi, they want to ensure that the few states government by them are not touched.
A Delhi Police personnel was brutally beaten up by protesters at the Tikri Border in Delhi on Friday.
According to the reports, the Delhi Police constable Jitendra Rana, who was deployed at the Tikri border was attacked by the alleged ‘farmers’. He has suffered injuries on his head and the legs. He is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
As per reports, Rana was putting up posters at the Tikri Border when protesters camping at the roads attacked him. The Delhi police constable was putting up posters of missing people when he was attacked.
A Delhi Police personnel allegedly thrashed at Tikri border by protesters. He was present there to put up a poster of missing farmer protester. He has received multiple stitches. An FIR has been registered in this regard: Delhi Police
According to reports, he was putting up posters of a farmer who was present at the protest but is now missing. The Delhi Police personnel attacked by the so-called farmers has received several stitches after he was attacked.
The Delhi Police is investigating the case and an FIR has been registered. The reason for the attack is yet to be known.
However, a certain media report suggests that some protesters mistook the Delhi police constable for a miscreant and thrashed him as Rana was in a civil dress, causing a severe head injury. Later, the police posted at the Tikri border rescued him.
BJP spokesperson from Chandigarh Gaurav Goel has demanded that Gaana, the music streaming platform, immediately sack its employee Tanzila Anis after she made an abhorrent tweet following the death of Bajrang Dal activist Rinku Sharma. The distasteful tweet was widely interpreted by people as celebrating and justifying the brutal murder.
In a letter to the CEO of Gaana shared on social media, Goel said, “we often come across people trying to disrupt the communal harmony in the country and this time it is your Content Head at Gaana — Tanzila Anis.” The Gaana employee was accused of “writing things that are unpleasant, blasphemes and offensive (on) social media.”
Source: @goelgauravbjp/Twitter
The letter continued, “She in her every writing has abused and she has used disparaging language on Hindu Gods and Goddesses. It is today when she tweeted to mock the death of Rinku Sharma who was stabbed from back and brutally murdered at Delhi in front of his parents.”
“We request you to sack her from your company with immediate effect,” the statement said. A separate criminal complaint has also been filed against Tanzila Anis. The complaint says that she mocks Hindu gods with the hashtag blasphemy.
It also says that someone with the mindset of a terrorist would mock someone’s death. The complaint demanded that an FIR be registered under sections 153A and 295A of the IPC along with relevant clauses of the IT Act.
Source: @goelgauravbjp/Twitter
Gaana had earlier issued a statement over the matter where it said that ‘necessary action’ will be taken at the earliest. Following the backlash for her tweet, Tanzila Anis said that she did not even know that a Banjrang Dal activist had been murdered and her tweet only alluded to the fact that members of the “extremist” organisation Bajrang Dal cannot be called an “activist”.
The Editors Guild of India took to Twitter today in order to condemn what they described as a ‘relentless disruption’ by ‘cyber attackers’. The EGI, which was hosting a webinar on Zoom, alleged that multiple ‘encroachers’ posted ‘obscene messages’ during the course of the webinar.
The webinar, titled “Reporting from Red Zones”, could only last for about 10 minutes due to incessant spam featuring ‘frivolous song videos’ followed by ‘pornographic content’, EGI alleged. The detailed statement from EGI called for an investigation on this ‘attack on free speech’ and called to ‘book the guilty’. However, if any video evidence exists to support the claim made by EGI, it hasn’t been released yet.
Statement by EGI
Before we dive any further into these allegations, we must keep in mind that this webinar was hosted on Zoom. Viewers had the ability to watch it through a Facebook live stream. One would think for a ‘cyber attack’ of this magnitude, “hackers” would need to utilize some sort of fancy malware to break into the Zoom meeting. But nothing of that sort happened. Actually, the EGI themselves tweeted out their Zoom meeting ID and passcode, which means there was no need for any ‘cyber-attacks’ or any kind of ‘hacking’ to access the online meeting. Any alleged miscreant who disrupted the webinar already had the passcode to enter available to him, thanks to the EGI itself.
Tweet by Editors Guild
It is certainly surprising that no video evidence exists online for this supposedly legitimate cyber attack. According to EGI’s statement, this cyber attack went on for at least 10 minutes, which would have given plenty of time to the numerous viewers of the webinar to record this extreme cyber-attack. But, unfortunately for EGI, they don’t really get a lot of viewers. The first edition of EGI’s webinar titled ‘Unheard Voices- Reporting from Conflict Zones’ had managed to attract a grand total of 24 concurrent live viewers, a paltry achievement for the EGI, which boasts of almost 34,500 followers on Twitter.
However, attracting 24 concurrent live viewers suddenly appears as a positive, when one considers the interactions that the EGI receives on both Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook, the EGI receives around 10 to 15 ‘reacts’ and 3 to 5 ‘comments’ on their posts on average. This is not discounting any negative ‘reaction’ or ‘comment’ that they might have received. On Twitter, they receive mid to decent interactions, specifically on tweets not related to the webinar. On tweets mentioning the webinar, the interactions resemble Facebook, with little to no interactions. At this point, it can be clearly stated that this is not a popular webinar by any means.
Thus, the question arises, why would ‘cybercriminals’ or ‘hateful trolls’ or whomever, target this supremely unpopular webinar that no one watches. It certainly wouldn’t be for attention or fame. It could be money, but is someone really paying ‘cyber criminals’ to conduct well-coordinated cyber attacks on a Zoom meeting with 24 viewers? Most probably not. So what could be the motive of these elusive ‘cybercriminals’, whose existence is not on video, to attack a zoom meeting with practically no viewers, it remains a mystery.
Here’s our theory, which is just a theory and not a factual claim. First of all, how did this tweet, which is about the webinar, manage to get a decent amount of interactions? Well that’s simple, liberal journalist Rajdeep Sardesai shared it with his followers. Without this plug, it is hard to say that anyone would have cared about the EGI’s statement, or that we would write an article about it. Most of the replies and people interacting with the EGI’s tweet are trolling or making fun of EGI. So to put it more clearly, the EGI needed Rajdeep Sardesai, with a whooping 9.1 million followers on Twitter to make a pity tweet so that anyone would even pay attention to them.
We have all heard the old adage, all publicity is good publicity. Maybe that is what was going on here. Maybe the EGI sabotaged its own webinar, to finally get anyone, literally anybody, to get them to pay attention and watch their webinar. However, if we are disregarding cynical theories and any maliciousness on the part of the EGI, another theory makes sense.
Maybe it is true, that there was some sort of raid, or coordinated trolling of the webinar. It sure was easy to do after the EGI itself tweeted the Meeting ID and the Passcode. In all probability, they were just random people instead of ‘hackers’ or ‘cybercriminals’, who the EGI is pushing to send to jail according to their statement. It is also a high possibility that the EGI greatly exaggerated the claims of the ‘cyber-attacks’ it had received, and the actual trolling was much milder. If we stop considering the possibility that this Zoom meeting raid was a work of malicious ‘cybercriminals’ instead of just regular, normal people, it becomes a much more believable story.
The horrifying murder of the Bajrang Dal activist Rinku Sharma in Delhi’s Mangolpuri has stirred the conscience of the entire nation. The gory murder has sparked nationwide outrage, with people across the country seething with anger over the heinous attack. The locals of Mangolpuri, the neighbourhood where Rinku lived carried out a candlelight march on Friday (12 February 2021), demanding justice for him and strict action against the perpetrators.
A large number of locals along with Rinku’s younger brother Mannu, VHP, Bajrang Dal activists attended the march. The participants of the march shouted slogans demanding death penalty for Rinku’s murderers. OpIndia got in touch with BJP Outer Delhi District President Bajrang Shukla who expressed his condolences on the unfortunate death of Rinku Sharma. Shukla said that Sharma was a promising young man whose life was cut short by violent criminals. He said the march is taken out as a mark of tribute to him.
#RinkuSharma की निर्मम हत्या से पूरा देश सकते में है
न्याय की माँग करते हुए लोग दिल्ली के मंगोलपुरी की सड़कों पर उतरे हैं। कैंडल मार्च निकाला गया है।
He said, “We want to send a message to the murderers and terrorists by chanting Jai Shri Ram slogans. Rinku was martyred but even today there are people who are undeterred by the attack and would continue to chant Jai Shri Ram slogans. How many people will you kill? Murder is your motive, we are not afraid of it. Jai Shree Ram.”
Rinku Sharma stabbed to death for seeking donations for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya
The 26-year-old Rinku Sharma, who worked as a lab technician in a hospital in Paschim Vihar, was attacked on the night of Wednesday (10 February 2021). Sharma was killed in cold blood for raising ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans and being a part of the donation drive for the Ram Mandir. He was reportedly attacked by a group of 25–30 people. The police have arrested four accused in the case. They have been identified as Mohammad Islam, Danish Naseeruddin, Dilshan and Dilshad Islam.
Rinku was actively involved in the fundraising campaign for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. According to the report, an awareness rally was taken out last month regarding the construction of Ram temple in the area. During that time Rinku had a dispute with the accused. However, the case was settled with the intervention by the locals. Following this, Rinku had a dispute with the accused at a birthday party. He was then attacked on Wednesday night after the culprits barged into his house and stabbed him to death.
Rinku Sharma had donated his blood to the pregnant wife of one of his attackers
As per a report, Rinku had donated his blood to the wife of one of the attackers who killed him. The woman was pregnant one and a half years ago and was in a critical condition. Blood was needed for treatment. In such a situation, Rinku gave his blood, not once but twice, to the accused’s wife.
“We have been having issues with the accused since the last year. In August, we had organised a small event for Ram Mandir. They were angered by this but we ignored them. We have always been good neighbours; Rinku even donated blood to one of their family members when she was pregnant,” said Rinku’s brother Mannu.
The Hindu families living in Delhi’s Muslim dominated Mangolpuri area, where a Hindu youth Rinku Sharma was brutally hacked to death by a bloodthirsty Muslim mob on February 10 (Wednesday), have been left traumatised for the rest of their lives.
Today, a day after the 25-year-old youth succumbed to his injuries, the narrow street in K-block of Mangolpuri where Rinku lived, was chock-a-block with media persons and activists from Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, which Rinku was associated with.
‘He kept asking the doctors to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’, mother of Rinku Sharma recounts her son’s last words
While speaking to VHP joint general secretary and Bajrang Dal national head Surendra Jain, the inconsolable mother of the deceased recounted how when her son was in the hospital, breathing his last, he kept asking the doctors to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
In exclusive footage accessed by OpIndia, Rinku Sharma’s mother told Surendra Jain that her son’s last words before he succumbed to his injuries in Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Mangolpuri at 12 noon on Thursday were: “Jai Shri Ram bolo doctor…Jai Shri Ram.”
Exclusive video footage accessed by OpIndia
‘My son was mercilessly killed by the very same people for whom he had donated his blood’, Radha Devi
Speaking to the VHP leader, Radha Devi reiterated how her son was mercilessly killed by the very same people for whom he had donated his blood, not once but twice, a year ago.
We had reported how Rinku had donated his blood to the wife of one of the attackers who killed him. The woman was pregnant one and a half years ago and was in a critical condition, and blood was needed for treatment. In such a situation, Rinku gave his blood, not once but twice, to the accused’s wife.
Additionally, the Delhi Police also found that Rinku had even helped Islam’s brother Shakuru to get admitted in a hospital when he was infected with the coronavirus. Obviously, he was unaware that a few months later, Shakuru’s brother would bay for his blood and lynch him to death.
‘Rinku Sharma is a true Ram Bhakt, he is a martyr, he will always live in our hearts’, Bajrang Dal workers remember the deceased
Bajrang Dal national head Surendra Jain assured the family that the culprits are now on Bajrang Dal’s blacklist. Claiming to have all the CCTV footages, Jain told the family that the culprits would have to pay for their deeds.
“Jai Shri Ram bolte hue gaya mera baccha”, (My child kept chanting Jai Shri Ram as he left for his heavenly abode), cried the Radha Devi, to which the VHP leader says that Rinku Sharma is a true Ram Bhakt, he is a martyr, he will always live in our hearts.
The VHP leader assured the family that justice would be served to Rinku Sharma. “If the police fail to take action, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers would make sure Rinku Sharma gets justice”, said Jain, who further assured financial assistance to Rinku Sharma’s family. Jain guaranteed a job to Rinku’s brother.
Hindus participating in the Ram Mandir donation drive awareness rallies being targeted by Islamists, said Bajrang Dal activist
Speaking about the sponsored and concerted plan of the Islamists in the area, another youth named Naresh speaks on how he was also recently accosted by a few Muslims in a park. They had cornered him and started threatening him, but before they could harm him, Naresh’s friends reached the spot and the Muslim youths fled, narrated Naresh, who alleged that the Islamists in the area have been targeting all those Hindus who have been participating in the Ram Mandir donation drive awareness rallies.
VHP and Bajrang Dal workers meet Rinku Sharma’s family
Bajrang Dal slams leftist media and secular liberals for shielding Islamists responsible for killing of Hindus like Rinku Sharma
Meanwhile, Surendra Jain slammed mainstream media and the secular gang for whitewashing attacks on Hindus. He said that such instances have become extremely common. Every other day, Hindus are being lynched by Islamists. While these jihadis carry out these heinous crimes with impunity, the leftist media, police and the so-called secular liberals look on like mute spectators, said Jain while speaking to media.
He castigated the police administration for the impassivity shown in handling Rinku Sharma’s case. “Had the police authorities carried out a timely investigation, Rinku would be alive”, said Jain.
In the media brief, Jain furthered that his organisation is well aware of how the secular gang members not only stand behind or defend these jihadis, they also play a paramount role in instigating them against Hindus.
Though the leftist media has desperately tried to prove that there was ‘no communal angle’ to the brutal killing of Delhi’s Hindu youth Rinku Sharma, the incident is a grim reminder of the growing intolerance towards Hindus in the ‘liberal and secular’ India.
Jain further added that ever since the Supreme Court has granted permission to build the Ram Mandir temple in Ayodhya, such concerted attacks on Hindus, in every corner of the country, have proliferated. Saying so, the Bajrang Dal national head claimed that such offensives against Hindus by the jihadi elements would not be tolerated any longer.
Hindu organisations demand constitution of fast track courts for such cases
Jain demanded assurance from concerned authorities that such incidents would be dealt with strictly and the perpetrators would not be spared. He further demanded that fast track courts are constituted where these cases would be heard in priority.
Recounting the horrifying details of the incident, a Bajrang Dal activist had told us earlier in the day how the knife with which Rinku Sharma was stabbed, had got stuck in his back. The accused at first tried to take out the knife from his back, probably with an intention to again stab him. They kept frantically twisting the knife to pull it out. When unsuccessful, they mercilessly pushed the sharp knife deeper inside Rinku’s back.
He also attested that Rinku was in the radar of the neighbourhood Muslims ever since he had even taken out a rally, following the Bhoomi Pujan of the Ram Mandir earlier in August.
Bajrang Dal social media head refutes police statement
Talking about the Delhi police’s statement that the incident was a fallout of enmity over “opening food joints close to each other”, Bajrang Dal IT head Rakesh Pandey told OpIndia: “I don’t know what the Delhi police is saying, but if the matter was so simple and there was no communal angle in the incident, the rage amidst the Hindus in the area would not be as much. The police are trying to divert the media attention from the case.”
While the family was unavailable to comment on this angle, the Hindu outfit workers and neighbours dismissed this as a ‘cover-up’ by police.
Prior to the local body polls in Gujarat, the controversial ‘farmer’ leader and Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Friday said he will be visiting the state as a part of the nationwide march against the Farm Laws and set it free.
Speaking at a ‘mahapanchayat’ in Haryana’s Bahadurgarh, Tikait said he is going to visit Gujarat to liberate the state from the clutches of the central government. The BKU leader also accused the Centre of suppressing the farmers’ stir in the state by jailing those who were raising their voices against the Farm laws.
“We will march nation-wide, go to Gujarat and set it free. It’s controlled by the Centre. India is free but people of Gujarat are imprisoned. If they want to join the movement, they are jailed. We are deciding on the date,” Tikait said.
We will march nation-wide, go to Gujarat and set it free. It’s controlled by Centre. India is free but people of Gujarat are imprisoned. If they want to join the movement, they are jailed. We are deciding on the date: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait during Mahapanchayat in Bahadurgarh pic.twitter.com/QZkvjDSf5X
Tikait on Friday announced a nationwide march, in a bid to drum up support for the ongoing ‘farmers’ protest against the three agriculture laws passed by the Centre in September last year.
It is noteworthy to mention that Gujarat is the home state of both Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. PM Modi had served as chief minister of the state from 2001 to 2014. The state is currently ruled by the BJP under the leadership of chief minister Vijay Rupani.
Elections to six municipal corporations will take place on February 21, and for 81 municipalities, 31 district panchayats and 231 taluka panchayats on February 28. The counting of votes for the six corporations will be taken up on February 23 and for the local bodies on March 2.
Rakesh Tikait to attend 7 mahapanchayat in 3 states to garner support for the ongoing ‘farmers’ protests
Earlier today, BKU’s media-in-charge Dharmendra Malik announced that Rakesh Tikait will be attending seven farmers’ meetings across Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan from Sunday to raise support for the ongoing stir against the new farm laws. Tikait had added then that the Singhu border will continue to act as the office of the ongoing stir.
Asserting that the protests will continue indefinitely, Tikait said, “There will be Ghar Wapsi only after the farm laws are repealed. Our ‘manch and panch’ will be the same. Singhu border will continue to remain our office. Whether the Centre wants to talk today, in 10 days or next year, we’re ready. Won’t go without removing metal spikes from Delhi.”
Farmers have been protesting along the Delhi border since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
‘Farmers’ breached barricades to storm Delhi on Republic Day and unfurl Khalistani flag on Red Fort
It is pertinent to note that the last time Rakesh Tikait and his aides had called for a ‘peaceful’ demonstration in the form of Tractor Rally on January 26, violence and rioting had swept the national capital as the ‘farmers’ ran riot on the streets of Delhi. The protesters had breached police barricades, attacked security personnel deployed to maintain law and order, vandalised public property and set vehicles on fire.
A section of protesters also stormed the grounds of the historic Red Fort and desecrated the symbol of India’s sovereignty. Khalistani flags were also raised on the ramparts of the Red Fort. As many as 300 police officials were injured in the ensuing clashes between the protesters and the law enforcement officials.
Spokesperson of the Delhi Police has said that they are investigating “all angles” related to the brutal murder of Bajrang Dal activist Rinku Sharma. The family of the activist had alleged that he was murdered in connection with the donation drive for the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya he was participating in.
Delhi Police spokesperson says they are in touch with Rinku Sharma's family and are examining whatever information is coming to them. "We are investigating all angles," he says while replying to a reporter's question. pic.twitter.com/VXzEdVkdet
The Delhi Police spokesperson said that specifically when asked if the ‘Ram slogan’ had anything to do with the murder. He also said that the accused have been arrested. Earlier, the Police had said that there was no ‘communal angle‘ to the murder, which was then used by expected quarters to whitewash the brutality of the crime.
Rinku Sharma breathed his last on the 11th of February after being brutally assaulted and stabbed with a knife in the Mangolpuri area of West Delhi. The preliminary investigation of the Delhi Police has revealed that Sharma was stabbed to death by the very same people for whom he had donated his blood a year ago. Further investigation into the matter is currently underway.
The police have arrested four accused persons who killed Rinku on Wednesday at his residence. The arrested assailants have been identified as Mohammad Islam, Danish Nasruddin, Dilshan and Dilshad Islam, according to social media posts. Rinku is now survived by his mother Radha Devi, father Ajay Sharma and brothers Ankit and Manu Sharma.
