While the entire country was seeing a video clip of Muslim youths being thrashed black and blue on the suspicion of carrying beef, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing a meeting of National Democratic Alliance's newly elected members of Parliament, Times of India reported.
On May 22, the day before counting of votes, three Muslims, including a couple, were beaten up by cow vigilantes in Madhya Pradesh. Self-proclaimed gau rakshaks thrashed them after getting a tip-off that a Muslim couple and one other youth, travelling in an auto, were carrying beef in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.
The video of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed goons descending on the youths with sticks as onlookers stood by. They also forced the youth to chant 'Jai Shree Ram' slogans while forcing one of the youths to beat the woman who was accompanying them.
Here are few more violence against Muslims and other minorities:
Youth shot at in Begusarai after he reveals his 'Muslim name'
A youth Mohammad Qasim was shot at in Begusarai district of Bihar on Sunday (May 26) morning after he was asked his name. A video of the injured youth speaking about the incident has gone viral on social media.
Qasim is a detergent salesman and he had gone to Kumbhi village on his bike for his business purposes. "I was stopped by Rajiv Yadav and he asked me my name... when I told him my name he fired at me and said you should go to Pakistan," said Qasim in the video and FIR lodged at the local police station.
Shot in the back, Qasim is heard saying in the video that "no one witnessing the incident came to his rescue and somehow" he reached the police station and the police took him to the sadar (town) government hospital for further treatment.
On May 26, a 25-year-old Muslim man was assaulted in Gurgaon by four unidentified youths for wearing traditional skull cap. The victim, a native of Bihar, was beaten by the attackers.
"The accused threatened me, saying wearing cap was not allowed in the area. They removed my cap and slapped me, while asking me to chant Bharat Mata ki Jai," Alam said in the FIR, lodged at the city police station, reported PTI. Alam was returning home after offering prayer in a mosque.
Jharkhand Adivasi Professor arrested for FB post written in 2017
On May 25, an Adivasi (indigenous) professor was arrested over a Facebook post where he mentioned the right to eat beef. He was attending a cultural function near Sakchi with some friends and staying at a hotel when police came and arrested him.
Jeetrai Hansda, a professor at the Government School and College for Women, Sakchi, in Jharkhand was arrested on Saturday, after a complaint was filed against him in June 2017 based on a Facebook post he had written.
Last year, on May 29, Hansda had posted: "Tribals do eat beef while performing last rites and during various festivals. Just because of a law banning cow slaughter, why should we stop our tradition of having beef and follow Hindu tradition.
"It will be an end to tribal existence and we would not accept this. We raise objection over such law by the government. I would like to inform that we also eat national bird of the country 'peacock'. If tribals too belong to India, the lawmakers should stop making such law to save tribal tradition and identity."
Gau rakshaks vandalize dairy alleging cow slaughter
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