Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday blasted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following two recent incidents of violence targeting Muslims over suspicion of beef consumption. Taking to the social media platform X, Gandhi shared his concerns about what he perceives as a growing atmosphere of fear and lawlessness under the current government.
“Those who have climbed the ladder of power by using hatred as a political weapon are continuously establishing the reign of fear across the country,” the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha wrote on X.
“Hateful elements hidden in the form of mobs are openly spreading violence, challenging the rule of law,” he added, posting screenshots of videos from both incidents.
On August 28, a 72-year-old man was assaulted on a train in Maharashtra's Thane after being accused of carrying beef.
Ashraf Ali Syed Hussain, a resident of Jalgaon, was travelling on the Dhule CSMT Express when a dispute over a seat quickly escalated to a group of men accusing Hussain of carrying beef in two containers. In the viral videos, the men are seen questioning Hussain about two containers of meat that he was carrying, before kicking and slapping him.
The police have identified six people allegedly involved in the assault and arrested three of them. They face multiple charges, including unlawful assembly, rioting, and criminal intimidation.
Migrant worker killed in Charkhi Dadri
The second incident took place in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri on August 27, when a migrant worker named Sabir Malik was beaten to death by members of a cow vigilante group. Malik, originally from West Bengal, was lured to a shop under the pretence of selling empty plastic bottles. There, he was accused of eating beef and thrashed mercilessly, resulting in his death.
Seven individuals, including two juveniles, have been arrested in connection with Malik's murder.
