The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM), a forum of rights groups, on Monday alleged that incidents of mob lynching continued even after the Hemant Soren government came to power.
As per the list released by the JJM, 29 persons belonging to tribal, tribal Christian and Muslim communities have either been lynched or beaten up by mob on suspicion of cow slaughter, sale and consumption of beef and religious hatred in Jharkhand between the year 2016 and 2020.
At least 10 of them have faced mob violence under the present JMM-Congress government rule.
“As per media reports and our fact-finding teams, we have prepared a list of 29 persons who were attacked by mobs espousing Hindutva ideology. We have taken up the matter with the Chief Minister and Director General of Police M.V. Rao. In some cases, we have moved court,” said JJM lead member Bharat Bhushan Choudhary.
The JJM also demanded ₹25 lakhs compensation as per the Supreme Court guidelines for the victims and swift judicial and police action against the accused.
“In many cases, the police was complicit in the violence or in protecting the perpetrators. Growing communalisation and violence by Hindutva groups in the State is deeply worrying,” said Mr. Choudhary.
“In the recent case on September 16, seven tribals belonging to Christian community in Simdega district were beaten up and tonsured after they were blamed for cow slaughter. They were subsequently forced to chant Jai Shri Ram,” said another JJM member Siraj Dutta.