Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati (File)
Two days after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal created a stir by giving a religious angle to the death of an Apple executive in Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has called out the alleged atrocities against Brahmins in the BJP-ruled state. Talking to reporters, Mayawati said, “atrocities against Brahmins have increased in the BJP rule.” The killing of Apple executive Vivek Tiwari by two UP policemen on September 29 has created a political storm in the north Indian state.
BSP chief Mayawati: atrocities increased on Brahmins in BJP rule. #Vivek Tiwari killing in Lucknow. @IndianExpress
— Lalmani Verma (@LalmaniVerma838) October 1, 2018
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Lending support to the victim’s kin, Mayawati told PTI, “If the government has no hand in it, then it should not move back, nor show any delay and it should have no hesitation. The BSP is deeply saddened by the death of Vivek Tiwari, and in this hour of grief, it stands with the aggrieved family.”
She also said that the party has directed its national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra to take up the family’s case if the government fails to deliver the justice.
Kejriwal on Saturday landed himself in controversy when tweeted that Tiwari was killed by UP police despite the fact that he was a Hindu. His tweet read: “Vivek Tiwari toh Hindu tha? Phir usko inhone kyu maara? BJP ke neta pure desh me Hindu ladkiyon ka rape karte ghoom rahe hai? Apni aankho se parda hataiye. BJP Hinduon ki hitaishi nahi hai. Satta paane ke liye agar inhe saare Hinduon ka katal karna pade toh yeh do minute nahi sochenge (Vivek was a Hindu. Why did they kill him then? BJP leaders are raping Hindu girls all over the country. Remove curtains from your mind. BJP is not the well-wisher of Hindus. They won’t even think for two minutes before killing all the Hindus in order to get power).”
In reaction, Kalpana Tiwari, the widow of the dead, had said to not “connect everything to faith and religion”.
विवेक तिवारी तो हिंदू था? फिर उसको इन्होंने क्यों मारा? भाजपा के नेता पूरे देश में हिंदू लड़कियों का रेप करते घूमते हैं?
अपनी आँखों से पर्दा हटाइए। भाजपा हिंदुओं की हितैषी नहीं है। सत्ता पाने के लिए अगर इन्हें सारे हिंदुओं का क़त्ल करना पड़े तो ये दो मिनट नहीं सोचेंगे https://t.co/A2LhxrVNpv
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 30, 2018
Kejriwal’s tweet was condemned across media platforms and even fetched him an FIR by Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the deceased’s wife met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who, she said, has assured of all forms of assistance to the family. The family was earlier granted a compensation of Rs 20 lakh by the state government.
“I have said earlier that I have faith in the state government. This faith has been strengthened after meeting the CM. I have lost the capacity to take a stand after the unfortunate incident, which should not have happened. It has shaken me. After meeting the CM, I have gained confidence that I will be able to fulfil the responsibilities my husband left on me,” she said.