Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. File photo
No arrests have taken place in connection with the death of a 55-year-old Zafar Hussain Khan, a social worker who was allegedly beaten to death by five municipality employees after he stopped them from taking photographs of women defecating in the open in Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan on Friday.
Two days after the incident Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who in a tweet called Zafar Khan's 'Demise' as 'extremely unfortunate' is being criticised widely on social media. People from all walks of life have criticised Raje for using the word 'Demise' instead of 'Killing '. Raje's tweet says "The demise of Zafar Khan Ji in Pratapgarh is extremely unfortunate. The investigation is on - justice shall prevail". In a prompt reply to her tweet Congress leader and Rajasthan Congress President, Sachin Pilot tweeted, ' "Killed"would have been far too appropriate a word to use for the CM. And going by previous lynching instances, justice is unlikely to prevail' ". Another such criticism came from noted journalist and writer Shekhar Gupta, he wrote, "Demise." When a lawfully elected Chief Minister, sworn to rule based on the Constitution, can't call a murder a murder, it's time to cry".
Disagreeing with Raje's tweet , Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot wrote: The CM of Rajasthan seems to have already reached a conclusion even before an inquiry that Zafar Khan was not murdered". In a continuing tweet he further wrote "What is the need for investigation then? Can the victim's family expect justice in such a scenario? What a sorry state of affairs, when the CM stoops down to divert the issue!"
Members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) with whom Zaffar Khan was working as an activist and was working for the construction of toilets in the slum’s households have also criticised Raje's tweet. Kavita Krishnan, a noted social activist and a member of CPI-ML- Liberation in reaction to Raje's tweet wrote, "He didn't just drop dead on a morning walk! Died as a result of lynching by Govt officials!! Arrest Nagar Parishad Commissioner Ashok Jain". CPI-ML Liberation has also organised a country-wide protest on June 19 and 20th against the alleged lynching of Zaffar.
Middle aged Zafar Khan, a social worker in Pratapgarh was allegedly beaten to death by five Municipality employees who were on duty for morning round-up of shaming people in the vicinity who defecate in the open. Staff allegedly beat Zaffar to death when he objected to their “naming and shaming” drive. The incident took place on Saturday, June 16, around 6:30 am in the open fields of Bagwasa Kachi Basti (tribal area) on, a routine place used by locals to defecate.
A FIR was lodged by Khan’s elder brother Noor Mohammed at Pratapgarh Kotwali police station against the five Municipality employees and Pratapgarh Municipality Commissioner Ashok Jain, who as per an eyewitness was present at the spot. According to the SP Pratapgarh, Shivraj Meena, a case of murder has been registered. However, no arrests have taken place so far.