New Delhi: A former member of India’s legislative assembly (MLA) belonging to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was booked by police for “allegedly promoting hatred and enmity”, Indian media outlet The Print reported .

Report said that former BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja was caught on tape saying that his supporters had “lynched five people” so far for cow smuggling after which he was booked by Alwar Police, a city in northern Indian state of Rajasthan.

Report quoted Shiv Shankar, station house officer of Govindgarh Police Station, as saying that case was registered on a video that had cropped up after Ahuja visited family of a man allegedly lynched by Muslims on Friday. Shankar said that first information report was registered under Section 153-A of Indian Penal Code for promoting hatred and enmity on grounds of religion. Report added that in video, former BJP MLA could be heard referring to 2017 Pehlu Khan lynching case and saying: “We have so far lynched five people, be it in Lawandi or Behror I have given free hand to workers to kill. We will get them acquitted and secure bail.” Khan died after he was attacked by hundreds of Hindu vigilantes while transporting cows in India in April 2017. Report quoted BJP’s Alwar (South) Chief Sanjay Singh Naruka as saying that party “does not have this thinking” and Ahuja’s views were his alone. It added that when approached for a comment, Ahuja maintained that “anyone involved in cow smuggling and slaughter won’t be spared”.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 23 2022

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