On June 02, a young IT professional was killed in Pune, by members of a radical Hindu outfit, as he was returning home>The tragic incident happened after pictures of Shivaji and Bal Thackeray uploaded on Facebook triggered communal tension across the city over the weekend. The victim was identified as Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh, a 24-year-old from Solapur district, who worked as an IT manager with a private firm in Pune. As per the police statements, seven people, aged between 19 and 24 years, have been arrested. They were associated with the Hindu Rashtra Sena, a radical outfit active in the state. Mohsin Shaikh was assaulted Bankar Colony, Hadapsar, as he was returning with a friend, Riyaz, after offering Namaz at a Masjid, around 9 pm. Riyaz alleged that Moshin was targeted because he was wearing a skull cap and had a beard. I ran from the spot and called his brother Mobin for help. However, by the time Mobin came, Mohsin was badly beaten up and the assailants were about to leave, he told after this gruesome murder.
This tragic incident brings many questions to the fore. Not only does it bring out the misuse of social media for inciting violence (in this case the morphed pictures uploaded on Facebook by using a fake ID) but more importantly how fringe elements commit such acts brazenly with no regard to the rule of law. This murder also shows how a small group can indulge in serious in majoritarian bullying and create a fear psychosis among members of a religious minority. Perhaps the group must have felt encouraged by the fact that the right wing BJP has come to power at the centre with a clear majority. The victim Mohsin was clearly killed owing to his identity which was clearly visible in his skull cap and a beard.
Columnist and former member of the BJP Sudheendra Kulkarni indicated that the Pune incident was a clear warning sign for the Modi government. “The government in Delhi should take this incident very seriously and should not treat it as a stray incident. These are fringe elements in the BJP who are involving in triumphalism. The incident in Pune has the potential to become something really big,” Kulkarni said. Though these goons dont belong to the BJP, but they represent what can be broadly called as right wing Hindu elements, which may be feeling emboldened by the rise of BJP to power. Though law and order is a State matter, but knowing the severity of this crime the Central Govt should be seen to taking it seriously. It is also no argument that the State of Maharashtra is ruled by the Congress-NCP combine. Irrespective of which party rules in the State this murder is representative of majoritarian bullying.
It is the duty of the Govt and law enforcing agencies to come down heavily on the criminals who were involved in this killing. The message has to be loud and clear that such violence and killing cannot be taken lying down. Narendra Modi has become the Prime Minister riding on huge expectations from the people of India. It is time for his Govt to show some spine and reassure the minorities in India about their safety.
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