New Delhi: Following the detention of Monu Manesar by Haryana Police, right wing group Bajrang Dal Tuesday said they feel “betrayed” by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
A Bajrang Dal member and a cow vigilante, Manesar has been arrested in connection with an FIR lodged in Haryana’s Nuh district under sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000, ThePrint has learnt.
The FIR was lodged on 26 August over Manesar’s alleged “inflammatory speeches” on social media, Narendra Bijarniya, Superintendent of Police (SP), Nuh, told ThePrint. He will be handed over to the Rajasthan Police.
In July, in the run up to the Braj Mandal Yatra in Nuh, Manesar had released a video which was deemed to be “provocative”.
He is also an accused in the murder of two Muslim men named Junaid and Nasir, residents of a village in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district, who were allegedly beaten to death in February by gaurakshaks who suspected them of smuggling cows.
Claiming that Manesar was “innocent”, Bharat Bhushan, state coordinator (Bajrang Dal), Haryana, alleged, “We have been betrayed by the BJP. We never thought that BJP would succumb to the political pressure and arrest Monu Manesar who has always promoted cow safety. This is done by CM (Manohar Lal) Khattar himself. The way they are focusing on Monu Manesar and Bittu (Bajrangi), they should have focused on Mewat and the cow smugglers in that region. Had they done that, the cow smuggling would have reduced.”
Bhushan also alleged that men in civil uniform came in two cars and “took” Manesar — who was at a shop buying groceries — without showing “any warrant”.
Since the Nuh violence, he claimed, the Haryana government has been cracking down on Bajrang Dal members and “making their lives worse”.
ThePrint reached the Haryana Chief Minister’s Office and BJP state president O.P. Dhankar via calls. This report will be updated when responses are received.
The Haryana Police reportedly said that they have arrested Manesar for running a social media profile under fictitious name and uploading “objectionable and inflammatory” posts.
CCTV footage from a local shop has also come to the fore in which Manesar can be seen being taken away by two men in civil uniform. Soon after the arrest, meetings were reportedly held across Haryana by the Bajrang Dal and cow vigilantes to decide on the next course of action.
Speaking to ThePrint, another cow vigilante Sumit Sharma, who has worked closely with Manesar, termed the detention “illegitimate” and alleged that Manesar was falsely accused by the police which is working under “political pressure”.
“Manesar always helped the administration in cracking down on cow smuggling. And today, they have arrested him for doing such a holy job. We are organising meetings to decide our next step. If need be, we will organise a protest,” said Sharma, who works as a part-time contractor and a full-time cow vigilante.
Mridul Kachawa, SP of Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, told media persons Tuesday that Rajasthan Police will start their probe as soon as Haryana police completes their official procedures.
“We have received information that Haryana Police has detained Monu Manesar, who is wanted in Nasir and Junaid (lynching) case. Haryana Police is carrying out its procedure and our officers are in contact with them. When their procedure is completed, (our) district police will begin theirs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar visited Nuh Tuesday and met the family members of a youth named Abhishek who was killed in Nuh violence.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: Haryana Police arrest cow vigilante Monu Manesar for ‘inflammatory posts’ on social media