BJP uses lynching incidents to polarise voters: Pilot

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot on Tuesday said that the ruling BJP in Rajasthan is in support of violent attacks taking place in the state.

Reacting to Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria's statement that Akbar Khan's death was a custodial killing, Pilot told DH, "The government in some way or other have supported such attacks. In the last four years, political power in Jaipur has been open to such incidents. BJP has MLAs like Gyan Dev Ahuja who have openly supported cow vigilante attacks many times".

Further hitting out at the state government, Pilot said, "The BJP is using incidents such as the Alwar lynching to polarise voters in view of the coming assembly elections".

The Congress leader alleged that such incidents had become common in the BJP-ruled state and said it was not the first case of lynching in Rajasthan. "The BJP government in Rajasthan has failed on the developmental front so now they are calling back divisive politics and allowing violence and hatred in the society", Pilot added.

In a big blow to the police department and ruling BJP government in Rajasthan, state home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said that 31 year Akbar Khan who was allegedly lynched on Friday night on suspicion of cow smuggling died in the police custody. The home minister has said that a magisterial enquiry will be conducted.

On Monday Rajasthan police suspended Assistant Sub Inspector Mohan Singh and sent three constables to police lines on Monday evening for their delay in taking injured Akbar Khan to hospital.

Ramgarh Police has so far arrested three people suspected to be involved in the alleged mob lynching.