Rajasthan: Ex-BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja caught on tape admitting ‘lynching’

JAIPUR: A video of ex-BJP MLA of Ramgarh Gyan Dev Ahuja in which he purportedly admits to lynching five people, who he says were involved in cow slaughter, has sparked off a controversy.
The 1.09-minute video, which was shared by Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra on Twitter, was reportedly shot on Friday when Ahuja had gone to Govindgarh to offer his condolences to the family of Chiranji Lal Saini, who was allegedly killed by a group of Meo Muslims on suspicion of tractor theft last Sunday.
In the video, Ahuja can be heard saying, “We have lynched five. Be it Lalawandi or Behror. This is the first time that they have killed someone from this area (Mewat).”
Otherwise, I have given a free hand to party workers. Kill those who slaughter cows. We will get you acquitted and will get you bail," he added.
Though he did not name the victims, it is believed he was referring to the lynching of Pehlu Khan (in Behror in 2017) and Rakbar Khan (in Lalawandi in 2018).
He can be heard mentioning a third incident, but it is not clear which one. He goes on to say that a roadmap has to be prepared for an agitation, which seems to be an attempt to provoke the family to act.
It seemed that Ahuja was not aware that he was being filmed while making a call for violence against a particular community.
His statement came in response to an unidentified person saying that this incident (murder of Saini) is not a single one, many such incidents have happened in the past.
Dotasra in his tweet quoted Ahuja, "So far we have killed five... Workers have been given a free hand. Beat... to... Bail, we will get it done." In the later part of the tweet, Dotasra said, "What more proof of the BJP's religious terror and bigotry is needed? The real face of the BJP has come out across the country."
The tension between Meo Muslims and BJP workers and cow vigilantes over issues including cow smuggling is not new.
Pehlu Khan was lynched in Behror in April 2017 while Rakhbar was killed in July 2018.
Ahuja could not be contacted for comment. However, while talking to PTI, he said, "It is Meo people who smuggle and slaughter cows. Hindus have sentiments for cows. Therefore, they target such smugglers. It is my duty to protect my workers."