Is BJP’s internal politics behind Ummar’s murder in Alwar?

Is local politics of the BJP and its factional feuds behind the murder of Mohd Ummar by cow vigilantes in cahoots with the police? Local social activists and human rights organisation PUCL have now raised a question on the role of local police in this gruesome murder. After that, the entire area is in the grip of dense polarisation. Meos as well as Yadavs are now displeased with the BJP and the RSS because of these murders by cow vigilantes.

This is the fourth killing by cow vigilantes in Rajasthan since 2015. NH has found in its investigation that after this murder and after questions were raised on the alleged role of the local police in this, people’s anger towards the ruling BJP is now beginning to come out in the open.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has been literally camping here almost for a month now as bypolls for this parliamentary constituency are to be held soon. This seat was earlier held by BJP MP Mahant Chandnath who died recently. Gyan Dev Ahuja is the BJP MLA from Ramgarh seat here. He belongs to an anti-Vasundhara Raje group.

He had already expressed his unhappiness for not being given a ministerial berth and resigned from the membership of various committees. Gyan Dev is a staunch supporter and worker of the RSS and has been infamous for spreading hatred against Muslims among the masses. This is the same Gyan Dev who issued a controversial statement about recovery of condoms in Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Neither Vasundhara Raje nor Gyan Dev has issued any statement on this murder. The state government is quiet on the entire episode.

Rajasthan’s Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria’s controversial statement that not every incident of this nature can be stopped has only added to the government's embarrassment. Talking to the media in Jaipur, he said some cows and a body have been recovered and that he has no further information about this episode.

The Vasundhara camp has been trying to exert its influence on the Meo community. Social activist Noor Mohammad told NH that many people from the Meo community met BJP leaders in the last few days. They were apparently warming up to the BJP when this incident took place. Now, all the milk traders have turned against the BJP and the RSS.

Jamshed Khan, Alwar district president of the minority cell of the Congress, says the BJP and the RSS want to create an environment of fear in this region. "First they plan this murder by cow vigilantes and then register a case against them as well. Gau palaks were attacked and murdered but the first case of cow smuggling was registered against them only. It clearly shows the stand of the police. The BJP and the RSS are trying to spread fear in the minds of the minority community in order to win election in the region," he said.

Human rights organisation PUCL has demanded a response from the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and has said it holds both the police and cow vigilantes guilty in this case.

Kavita Shrivastava, president of PUCL, said Mohammad Ummar’s murder makes it clear that the BJP and the RSS were indulging in politics of hatred and were trying to polarise people to win elections from this constituency.