[Salman Khan outside Jodhpur court on Thursday.]
Mumbai: Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) Chancellor Zafar Sareshwala on Thursday while reacting on Salman Khan’s arrest in a 20-year-old blackbuck poaching case questioned the government’s failure to nail those involved in mob lynching and killing scores of people on the false charges of possessing beef.
“There have been many cases in Rajasthan when people were murdered in broad daylight. But, they are enjoying freedom. Similar is the situation in many other states of the country. The murderers are enjoying freedom. They are roaming without any harm”, Sareshwala who is a family friend of Bollywood Star Salman Khan after the latter’s arrest in the hinting case.
“Is human life not worth even a blackbuck?”, he asked.
Salman Khan was found guilty in the blackbuck poaching case by a Jodhpur Court on Thursday. The court sent the star to jail for five years. Salman Khan’s fellow stars including Saif Ali Khan, Tabbu, Neelam and Sonali Bindre wer acquitted. After the verdict, Salman Khan was sent to Jodhpur Central Jail. According to the family sources, his lawyers will move the higher court on Friday and seek bail.
Replying to a barrage of questions, Sareshwhala, who is also said to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, refused to comment on the court verdict but said it’s the failure of the government and administration that the killers and murderers are roaming free.
“I respect the judiciary and do not want to comment of the court’s verdict. But, I consider it the failure of the administration and the government – whether of BJP or Congress, because of which those involved in mob lynching and killing people are enjoying freedom”, he said.
Sareshwala’s comments were clearly in reference to the recent killings of Muslim cattle traders and farmers and also of Dalits on the suspicion of carrying cows for slaughter and possessing beef.
Cow slaughter is banned in India since 1976. However, after coming to power in New Delhi and other states, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) also banned slaughter of calf and eating beef. A spate of killings occurred in various parts of the country after the government order, some inside running trains where some Muslim youths were beaten to death merely on the suspicion of possessing beef.
Interestingly, the same BJP which banned beef in states like Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, have a totally opposite stand on the issue in states like Kerala, Goa, Tripura, and Northeast where its prominent leaders have assured smooth and enough supply of beef for consumption.
Because of this double standard, critics say cow slaughter, beef and other such issues do not have any religious significance for the right wing party. They say the BJP uses such issues only for political mileage.
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