Kerala’s opposition leader VD Satheesan condemned the mob killing of a Chhattisgarh worker as a disgrace. Minister MB Rajesh also denounced the incident, linking it to hate politics and confirming five arrests in the ongoing murder investigation.
Kerala’s Leader of Opposition, VD Satheesan, expressed concern about the recent mob killing of a migrant worker from Chhattisgarh, and called the incident a disgrace to the state’s reputation. On reports of a migrant worker from Chhattisgarh being lynched in the state, Satheesan said, “It was very unfortunate that a mob brutally killed a labourer from Chhattisgarh. This is an insult to Kerala. We are all expressing our sorrow towards the family and the entire people of Chhattisgarh. This is not Kerala. Some people attacked him. The opposition in Kerala demanded that the Kerala Chief Minister initiate sufficient action against the culprits. We requested that the government assist the deceased person’s poor family.
Government Condemns Killing, Arrests Made
On Monday, Kerala Minister MB Rajesh condemned the mob lynching of a migrant worker from Chhattisgarh and informed that five people have been arrested. The Minister told ANI, “He is a victim of the politics of hate propagated by the Sangh Parivar throughout the country. He was subjected to mob lynching, accused of being a Bangladeshi.” Further in his statement, Rajesh alleged that the four arrested in the case are accused in many criminal cases, including the attempt to murder a CPIM leader.
Police Investigation Details
Meanwhile, District Police Chief Ajit Kumar briefed the media on the arrests and the ongoing investigation into the case. “A group of persons has assaulted one person from Chhattisgarh. With respect to that, one murder case has been registered, and five persons have been arrested. Five of the main accused have been arrested and remanded, and further investigation is ongoing in the case,” Ajit Kumar told ANI. “It is likely to involve more accused, we think that there is involvement of a larger number of accused, and accordingly, legal action will be taken against them,” Ajit Kumar further said.
Political Blame and RSS Response
The allegations by Kerala Minister follow after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement at the ‘RSS 100 Vyakhyan Mala’ program in Kolkata, that the organisation is staunch nationalist. Bhagwat said that RSS has consistently argued that India is a “Hindu Nation,” given the culture and majority’s affiliations to Hinduism. However, ‘secular’ was not originally part of the Preamble to the Constitution; it was added, along with the word ‘socialist’, by the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, during the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Bhagwat also urged people to visit the organisation’s offices and ‘shakhas’ to understand its work, so that the false perception of the organisation as “anti-Muslim” can be dispelled. He also said that people have understood that the organisation advocates for the protection of Hindus, and are “staunch nationalists,” but not anti-muslim. (ANI)
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