The controversy over Union Minister Jayant Sinha garlanding eight people who had been convicted by fast-track court in Jharkhand of lynching a Muslim cattle trader seemingly refuses to die down, even though Sinha expressed regret for his actions.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Friday claimed the eight men were yet to be “proven guilty” in a court. Rathore was responding to an audience query at the Manorama Conclave 2018 organised by Malayala Manorama in Kochi.
"Let me assure everyone that violence in any form is reprehensible and unacceptable. Were those people who were garlanded convicted of any crime? Every citizen has the right to prove their innocence," Rathore said.
A fast-track court had convicted 11 people in March for lynching a Muslim cattle trader in Ramgargh in 2017. However, last week, the Jharkhand High Court suspended the life sentences of eight of the men, one of whom was a local BJP activist. The group went to Sinha's residence on their release. Pictures of the minister felicitating them had triggered outrage.
At the Manorama Conclave, Rathore also spoke of the need for introspection in the face of multiple incidents of mob lynching allegedly caused by rumours on WhatsApp.
"These are the times when fake messages on WhatsApp can kill. What is the answer to this? You just need to look in the mirror. We need to take care of our nation. It needs to be taken care of by ourselves and cannot be outsourced,” Rathore observed.
Rejecting allegations the BJP government of Narendra Modi was 'hijacking' institutions, Rathore retorted that hijacking the judiciary and other systems was the speciality of the Congress.
"Those who accuse the BJP of compromising the judiciary (in the last four years) have selective amnesia," he said. Referring to past incidents of government surveillance, Rathore cited the 1986 Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill, which would give the government ability to read a person's mail. It was then-president Giani Zail Singh who blocked the controversial measure.
Rathore inaugurated the Manorama Conclave 2018 on Friday morning. Prominent ministers, judges and other thinkers are participating at the Manorama Conclave, which is into its second edition.
Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Alphons Kanamthanam are also attending the Manorama Conclave. Other prominent speakers at the Manorama Conclave are actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
