Cow vigilantes' terror in India: Pehlu Khan lynched in Rajasthan, Muslims constantly on the target

Once again, cow vigilantes have killed a Muslim man.

Pehlu Khan, a middle-aged man, had gone to buy bovines for milk.

Self-styled cow protection group members attacked Khan and his companions. The man was murdered in cold-blood.

Vipin Yadav, Kalu Ram Yadav and Ravendra Yadav--the three culprits have been arrested.

This horrific incident has occurred in Alwar district in Rajasthan.

The private militias, known as 'Gau Rakshaks' [euphemism for illegal extremist groups who kill innocents in the name of cow] are again responsible for the murder.

Khan who belonged to Nuh, Mewat had gone to buy bovines. On way back, the mini-truck was stopped by 'Gau-Rakshaks'. He showed the receipt that he had bought the cow legally.

But the 'Gau Rakshaks' attacked him, kept thrashing him until he fell unconscious. He was admitted to hospital where he died because of the injuries. The police didn't reach the spot until the incident occurred.

READ, WATCH VIDEO: How Cow Vigilantes' Terrorism Led to Pahlu Khan's death 

The incident has occurred in BJP ruled Rajasthan. Here, earlier too Gau Rakshak groups have attacked Muslims. Chief minister Vasundhara Raje has failed to rein in the extremists.

Akhlaq, father of an armyman, was killed in his house at Bisadha near Dadri in Uttar Pradesh just on mere suspicion that there was beef stored in the fridge of the house.

Last year Minhaj Ansari was killed in Jharkhand.

Besides, a man, Mazloom Ansari, and a teenaged boy, Imtiaz, were hanged by Gau Atankis earlier.

Mazloom and Imtiaz' bodies were found hanging by the tree.

Clothes had been stuff into their mouths. Even this incident couldn't shake 'national conscience'.

They were cattle traders. The incident had occurred near Balumath, close to Ranchi. READ

The incidents have occurred across India--from Jammu and Kashmir to Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh to Haryana, Jharkhand to Madhya Pradesh and UP.

Clearly, law-and-order has collapsed in the country. India is becoming one of the most dangerous place for minorities, especially, Muslims. We must record what is happening around us. For, we don't know what future holds for us.

HERE ARE LINK TO SOME INCIDENTS

Rationalists, intellectuals killed: Right-wing extremist group's member arrested for murder, outfit was under scanner for terror links in past

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Rationalists, writers who have been speaking against communalism and bigotry have been facing threats and got killed. 

The list has grown over the years. Intellectuals who spoke against fundamentalism and who were either creating awareness in the society through their writings or taking a strong stand have been 'systematically silenced'.

NARENDRA DABHOLKAR

Dr Narendra Dabholkar was a leading rationalist who was killed in Maharashtra. He was shot dead on August 20, 2013.

Dr Dabholkar, 67, was a campaigner against superstitions and spoke against ills plaguing the society. As a result, he often found himself against the fundamentalists. He was a founder president of the Maharashstra Andhashradhha Nirmoolan Samiti, and attacked the conservative forces.

Besides, he was involved in movement for justice for Dalits and the poor. He was killed in Pune. Almost two years have passed but despite initial 'leads', the police have failed to arrest the killers.

GOVIND PANSARE

Govind Pansare, 82, an author, who wrote 21 books, was a trade union leader. He had participated in Samyukta Maharashtra movement as well as Goa liberation movement.

Pansare and his wife were shot in Kolhapur in Maharashtra on February 16 this year, when he was on morning walk. The modus operandi was similar as in Dr Dhabolkar's case. He too was shot.

The elderly communist leader succumbed to the injuries though his wife recovered later. Pansare was well-known for his best-seller on Shivaji. The book showed how Shivaji was being portrayed wrongly as a Hindu king who 'saved' Hindus from 'Muslim atrocities'. The Marathi book 'Shivaji Kon Hota' challenged the popular narrative about the king.

This biography tells reader that 1/3rd of Shivaji's army comprised of Muslims, and many of his commanders were Muslims. Comrade Pansare had opposed the right-wing attempts to glorify Nathuram Godse, who killed Mahatam Gandhi.

MM KALBURGI

Prof. MM Kalburgi, a scholar, was known for his rational views in Karnataka. He was shot dead in his house in Dharwad  on August 30, 2015.

Kalburgi, a former vice-chancellor, had several run-ins with Hindu religious groups. He was an academician and rationalist who had written 103 books. Earlier also he had got threats because of his outspoken nature and his secular views.

However, when two persons knocked at his door on August 30, there was no cop at his door. They shot him dead and managed to escape. The police have no idea as to who was involved in the murder.

A Bajrang Dal leader who tweeted later to express happiness and even suggested who was next, was arrested but later released. He wasn't questioned either, as it was apparently assumed to be not linked to the conspiracy.

Dr Bharat Patankar

Activist-writer Dr Bharat Patankar has also received threat to his life. The president of Shramik Mukti Dal, Dr Patankar, received the threat after Govind Pansare's death.

He had received a letter in which he was accused of being conciliatory towards Muslims. He was told that after the two killings (Dabholkar and Pansare), he was next. The copy of a right-wing group's mouthpiece was sent with the letter. The police failed to trace those who sent the letter.

Prof. KS Bhagwan

Prof. KS Bhagwan, 70, is a rationalist, and a writer. He is a friend of MM Kalburgi. After Prof Kalburgi was murdered, Bajrang Dal leader Bhuvith Shetty tweeted that now it was the turn of Bhagwan.

The tweet said that anyone mocking Hindus would die a dog's death. Prof Bhagwan had earlier spoken about anti-Shudra references in Gita. Now, the security of Prof Bhagwan has been increased.

ARRESTS MADE BUT WHO IS THE MASTERMIND? 

Finally, the central bureau of investigation (CBI) has made an arrest in the case of Dr Narendra Dabholkar's murder.

Virendra Tawade, a member of the Hindu Jagran Samiti (HJS), which is an off-shoot of right-wing radical group Sanatan Sanstha, has been arrested. Tawade was arrested by the CBI sleuths from Panvel, reports Indian Express.

"Tawade was also in contact through emails with Sarang Akolkar...absconding in the Goa blast case of 2009", report says. Akolkar has a red corner notice issued against him by the Interpol in connection with the terror case. Though Sanatan Sanstha members have been arrested for their role in bomb blasts in the past, it hasn't been banned as yet. 

The State police had suspected its role in the murders of rationalists and secularists.
But they made no arrest. Congress was in power in Maharashtra then and also UPA was at the helm in the Centre. But the group was not banned. In fact, state Congress leaders claimed that they sent report but Union home minister said that he didn't get it.

The High Court had asked the CBI to conduct probe. Now the CBI has made its first arrest in this case. Rationalists and secularists like Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, MM Kalburgi [Karnataka] were murdered while Prof KS Bhagwan and Dr Bharat Patankar were threatened.

[Note: A part of this post was updated later. Gauri Lankesh was killed in September 2017.]

READ THE FOLLOWING REPORTS ON THIS BLOG

TERROR TRAIL: FROM MAHARASHTRA TO GOA, COPS KEEP EYES SHUT

Rationalists, secularists' lives under threat in India: Writers, journalists who resist get killed

Rationalists and secularists' lives are clearly under threat.

People who speak up against fundamentalism are being targeted.

The trend is clear and it is frightening. Still, it wasn't realised and there was not much outrage until the latest killing in Karnataka.

The murder of Prof MM Kalburgi, that people realised how systematically 'rationalists' are being eliminated in India.

This is just like the secular bloggers have been attacked and killed in our neighbouring country.

The suspicion is that the right-wing extremists are behind these attacks and murders

In Bangladesh, several bloggers were targeted or killed. When there was threat, the police seemed indifferent initially. In some of the cases, the killers were arrested in Bangladesh. However, in India, in none of the cases, the killers have been identified or arrested.

This is a major difference in handling of the cases. It shows that our investigative agencies are either incompetent or not interested much in hunting down the killers. Isn't this worrying for us, who live in the world's biggest democracy?

NARENDRA DABHOLKAR

Dr Narendra Dabholkar was a leading rationalist who was killed in Maharashtra. He was shot dead on August 20, 2013.

Dr Dabholkar, 67, was a campaigner against superstitions and spoke against ills plaguing the society. As a result, he often found himself against the fundamentalists. He was a founder president of the Maharashstra Andhashradhha Nirmoolan Samiti, and attacked the conservative forces.

Besides, he was involved in movement for justice for Dalits and the poor. He was killed in Pune. Almost two years have passed but despite initial 'leads', the police have failed to arrest the killers.

GOVIND PANSARE

Govind Pansare, 82, an author, who wrote 21 books, was a trade union leader. He had participated in Samyukta Maharashtra movement as well as Goa liberation movement.

Pansare and his wife were shot in Kolhapur in Maharashtra on February 16 this year, when he was on morning walk. The modus operandi was similar as in Dr Dhabolkar's case. He too was shot.

The elderly communist leader succumbed to the injuries though his wife recovered later. Pansare was well-known for his best-seller on Shivaji. The book showed how Shivaji was being portrayed wrongly as a Hindu king who 'saved' Hindus from 'Muslim atrocities'. The Marathi book 'Shivaji Kon Hota' challenged the popular narrative about the king.

This biography tells reader that 1/3rd of Shivaji's army comprised of Muslims, and many of his commanders were Muslims. Comrade Pansare had opposed the right-wing attempts to glorify Nathuram Godse, who killed Mahatam Gandhi.

MM KALBURGI

Prof. MM Kalburgi, a scholar, was known for his rational views in Karnataka. He was shot dead in his house in Dharwad  on August 30, 2015.

Kalburgi, a former vice-chancellor, had several run-ins with Hindu religious groups. He was an academician and rationalist who had written 103 books. Earlier also he had got threats because of his outspoken nature and his secular views.

However, when two persons knocked at his door on August 30, there was no cop at his door. They shot him dead and managed to escape. The police have no idea as to who was involved in the murder.

A Bajrang Dal leader who tweeted later to express happiness and even suggested who was next, was arrested but later released. He wasn't questioned either, as it was apparently assumed to be not linked to the conspiracy.

Dr Bharat Patankar

Activist-writer Dr Bharat Patankar has also received threat to his life. The president of Shramik Mukti Dal, Dr Patankar, received the threat after Govind Pansare's death.

He had received a letter in which he was accused of being conciliatory towards Muslims. He was told that after the two killings (Dabholkar and Pansare), he was next. The copy of a right-wing group's mouthpiece was sent with the letter. The police failed to trace those who sent the letter.

Prof. KS Bhagwan

Prof. KS Bhagwan, 70, is a rationalist, and a writer. He is a friend of MM Kalburgi. After Prof Kalburgi was murdered, Bajrang Dal leader Bhuvith Shetty tweeted that now it was the turn of Bhagwan.

The tweet said that anyone mocking Hindus would die a dog's death. Prof Bhagwan had earlier spoken about anti-Shudra references in Gita. Now, the security of Prof Bhagwan has been increased.

In neighbouring country, bloggers have been killed. Bloggers who speak against fundamentalism, have been targeted. Niloy Neel was hacked to death in Dhaka recently. Ananta Bijoy Das was attacked in Sylet. Also, Avijit Roya, Ahmed Rajib Hyder and Wasiqur Rahman have been murdered. The killings led to nationwide outrage. However, in some cases, the killers have been arrested. 

[Note: This photograph used in this post was updated later. Gauri Lankesh was killed in September 2017.]

'Nanded Blast: The Hindu Hand' & Keith Ellison takes oath on Quran in US Congress

At last a national newspaper has done a detailed story on the involvement of Hindu extremist organisations in the blasts near mosques in Maharashtra.

Tehelka writes that 'Narco-analysis and brain-mapping reports of accused and the Maharashtra police's ATS findings reveal an alarming trend.

This is about local Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists [and individuals associated with Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal[ raising their own terror networks'. You can read the report here.

Shashwat Gupta Ray's comprehensive story in the weekly paper dated December 30 reveals that Nanded blast accused Himanshu Panse said 'Bomb attacks outside the mosques are the only way to safeguard Hindus'.

'We will be treated like hijras (eunuchs) if we don't take action. Counter-attacks are the only way of avenging terror attacks', Panse said. The motive was to avenge the killing of Hindus in terror attacks.

The blasts in central Maharashtra occurred between 1.45 and 2 pm at the towns' most prominent mosques, just after Friday prayers, when the attendance is maximum. For weeks the Urdu papers were shouting but national media did not pay heed. There were some references though.

On this blog also, this issue was raised earlier.

In United States, history was made when democart Keith Ellison became the first Muslim to become a member of US Congress. His decision to take oath on Quran (and not Bible) had even drawn criticism from conservatives.

However, Ellison remained unperturbed. He took the copy of Quran that was once owned by Americal president Thomas Jefferson, and took oath (this was termed by many newspapers as a PR masterstroke). Later Ellison said that Quran also inspired the founders of America. Ellison, a lawyer from Minnesota, had converted to Islam during his college years.