VHP Representation to the Rashtrapati on Ghastly Murder of two Hindu Sanyasis and their Driver in Palghar

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gets his hand raised by President of the Republic of India Ram Nath Kovind after declaring their joint press statements following the successful expanded bilateral meeting at the Malacañan Palace on October 18, 2019. President Kovind is on a five-day state visit to the Philippines. RICHARD MADELO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

To,

His Excellancy Shri Ramnath Kovind,

President of India,

Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

May it please Your Excellancy,

Subject : Ghastly Murder of two Hindu Sanyasis and the Driver of their car by Mob of About two hundred people near Palghar in the state of Maharashtra.

            It is widely known that two Hindu sanyasis belonging to the Juna Akhada and the driver of the vehicle they were travelling in were lynched by a murderous mob of about two hundred people at village Gad Chinchale, taluka Dahanu, District Palghar in the State of Maharashtra in the night of 16th April 2020. They were on their way to attend the funeral of a Saint at some place in Gujarat. It is said that when they were passing through the village Gad Chinchale at about 09-00 pm they were attacked by a group of villagers. When the village Sarpanch came to know about this, she came to their rescue and tried to dissuade the group of attackers. When she found that the group was determined to harm them, she took them to the nearby forest chowki (outpost). While they were at the Forest Chowki, the group of attackers followed them and some of them called for reinforcement from their colleagues in the nearby villagers as a result of which a large mob armed with lathis, iron rods, sickles etc. collected and gheraoed the Forest Chowki and started demanding that the three persons be handed over to them. Seeing that the situation was going out of hands, someone informed the Police and after some time armed policemen arrived at the Forest Chowki. The Sarpanch was also compelled to leave the place. This had no effect on the mob whose leaders were instigating them to take these three persons in possession and punish them. The policemen instead of using force and their weapons for the protection of the innocent Sanyasis and the driver virtually handed them over to the mob. They were then mercilessly murdered by the mob.

For two three days, the incident was tried to be hushed up by the local administration and when the public outrage increased due to the attack video going viral on the social media, false version of the incident was given out that the lynching took place under a misunderstanding due to a rumour spread in the area that child lifters have come in the area and they may take away children from the area. As there was not a single incident of kidnapping reported from the area by then, it was not possible that a large number of people would be incensed to the extent of gathering in a mob during the night and mercilessly killing three persons in cold blood under the mistaken belief that they were child lifters.. Obviously, the circumstances point out to a premeditated conspiracy to terrorise Hindus of the area to facilitate carrying on anti Hindu activities in the area. In the First Information Report lodged with the Police also, it has been alleged that the mob lynching was carried out in furtherance of a conspiracy. The State machinery was trying to suppress the truth by giving false excuses. Murder of three innocent persons by armed mob in the presence of policemen is a serious matter but the State of Maharashtra is treating it as just ordinary crime committed due to a misunderstanding. To this date the main leaders of the murderous mob have not been arrested. Efforts are being made to belittle the incident for political considerations and to save the administration from ignominy. Only departmental action has been initiated against the policemen and no crime has been registered against them despite the fact that in videos of the incident the policemen are seen virtually handing over the victims to the mob.

            Local residents of the area are sure that it is not a crime committed under any misunderstanding but a planned murder of Hindu Sanyasis because they were Hindu Sanyasis. A large scale anti- Hindu propaganda is being carried on in the area by some nonpolitical and political leftist organizations like Communist Party of India, Marxist (CPM) and Christian Missionaries operating in the area carrying on proselytizing activities. They naturally, consider Hindu Sanyasis and social workers as the main hurdle in their way. For decades the area has seen anti Hindu activities. The local MLA belongs to CPM which has a sizeable following in the taluka. The Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) has also a sizeable following in the area and gets support from the Christian Missionaries against Parties like BJP and Shivsena. The possibility of involvement of these elements in the mob lynching cannot be ruled out under the circumstances. The State Government, however, seems to be in a great hurry to explain away the incident on the excuse of a false rumour. As such, it has not ordered any judicial inquiry in to the incident. A Police Officer has been asked to enquire in the matter. Kingpins of murderous mob are still at large.

            The entire Hindu Society of the Country, various Hindu Organisations including Saints and religious leaders of all sects of Hindus are deeply hurt, pained and disturbed by the ghastly murders. They have condemned the murders and inaction of the police in the matter in no uncertain terms. They have also expressed their apprehension about the matter being trivialised for political considerations by the State Government and demanded that the matter be thoroughly investigated through a Central Agency.

            Vishwa Hindu Parishad also feels that the State Government is not taking the matter seriously and is trying to cover up the failure and inaction of the police in protecting the victims. We therefore, humbly submit this representation to your Excellency with request to use your good offices to impress upon the Central and State Governments the urgent need of getting the matter dealt with by a Central Investigating agency at the earliest. Speedy and impartial investigation of the matter and speedy and efficient prosecution of the case is needed to get the culprits punished as early as possible to restore the confidence of Hindus of the Country at large and of the area in particular in the law enforcement agencies.

Shesh Prabhu Kripa,                             

(V.S. KOKJE)                           (MILIND PARANDE)

President-VHP                             Secretary General-VHP   


Source: World Hindu News