While the news of Sub-Inspector Gagandeep Singh’s heroic rescue of a Muslim youth from a violent mob comprising several Right-wing outfits has earned him nation-wide praise, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader on Monday, 28 May, asked why a Muslim was in a Hindu temple in the first place.
Speaking to ANI, BJP MLA Rajkumar Thukral said the Right-wing outfits would fight the “destroyers of Hindu culture”, which is what he viewed 23-year-old Irfan to be.
Irfan had been spotted with a 19-year-old Hindu girl near the temple by the members of the Right-wing groups, who then began to beat him up ruthlessly. Sub-Inspector Singh, who was posted on the temple premises, had saved the youth from the attacks of the mob and ushered him out to safety.
We don’t go to mosques or madrasas because we don’t have the right to go. Why did they go to temple with an intention to destroy Hindu Sabhyata.Rajkumar Thukral, BJP MLA to ANI
He also said if the Ramnagar police did not “wake up” to understand the “anti-Hindu” sentiments, in terms of this incident and other similar ones, then the Hindu Sena would be forced to come out and fight those threatening the basis of Hindu culture.
“Why were they roaming (in the temple premises) with a Hindu girl? They tried to ignite the emotions of the Hindu community,” he said.
He further stated, “We will fight the ongoing plans of destroying Hindu culture, of forced religious conversions, and of strengthening the roots of love jihad”.
Following the incident, the Ramnagar police had filed an FIR against “unknown persons”. Although they had earlier said videos of the mob thrashing the Muslim youth would be able to help them identify the culprits, they did not make any arrests.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
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