Through the merciless lynching of Dalits and Muslims throughout the country by accussing them of disrespecting the infalliable Hindu codes and wounding the pious Hindu values, the fundmanetalist faction of the Indian politcs have laid the foundation of this mob justice deliverance system.
The Palghar incident was a distressing, horrendous and horrific event and also a sordid reminder that the barbaric system of mobocracy is still sound in India. Fears about the virus outbreak and the laws regarding social distancing was incapable to check the savagery of people in large numbers. However, Palghar seems to be a standalone case from the recent moblynching occurrences. Since the victims were Sadhus or ardent Hindu religious believers, the ruling party acolytes have expressed their rage and contempt in a sharp tone. The BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj has threatened the Maharashtra government of conducting a long-march to the capital incase of any laxity in the investigation of the incident. UP CM, Adithyanath has called his Maharashtra counterpart and seeked strict action against the culprits.
Nevertheless, this should be a wake up call for the right wing fanatics. Through the merciless lynching of Dalits and Muslims throughout the country by accussing them of disrespecting the infalliable Hindu codes and wounding the pious Hindu values, the fundmanetalist faction of the Indian politcs have laid the foundation of this mob justice deliverance system. Hailing the culprits of lynching, using the political and bureaucrtaic power to rescue them from punishments, stifling the voice of dissent etc. were seen after the incidents of Dadri, Khairlanji, Ansari and numerous other cases. According to India Today, there were 106 deaths due to mob violence since 2015. The conviction rate in these cases is astonishingly low. The weak and tweaked investigation reports, snail-paced judicial proceedings and the wholesale acquittals by the higher courts in mob violence cases are galvanizing people to be a part of this draconian act. The people who have made furious comments after the Palghar killing were surprisingly silent during the previous hundreds of similar events and when the US Commission on International Religious Freedom categorised India, alongside Iraq and Afghanistan, as a violator of religious freedom. Palghar should be an eye-opener for the right wing groups and its leaders. They have created a Frankenstien’s monster, and now it has turned towards its creators.
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