Members of Vishwa Hindu Sena, a right-wing Hindu organisation, in an apparent incident of hate-crime shaved off a Nepali youth’s head in Banares on Thursday. The miscreants also smeared ‘Jaya Shri Ram’ on the youth’s head, and forced him to chant ‘death to Oli’.
The harrowing incident, suggesting escalation of communal dispute on the basis of religion, occurred in the parliamentary constituency of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The incident seems to be in response to PM Oli’s claims about Ram’s nationality and birthplace. Last week, during Bhanu Jayanti, PM Oli had claimed that Ayodhya was actually in Nepal, and that India had created a ‘fake’ Ayodhya.
The miscreants, alleging their support for Lord Ram, and warning PM Oli other Nepalis in Banares would share a similar fate unless he retracts his statement, shared the incident’s video on social media. The incident has also received the support of Vishnu Gupta, the organisation’s founder and its first president.
Meanwhile, an FIR has been lodged against Arun Pathak, the leader of Vishwa Hindu Sena. “No challenge to the law and order is acceptable”, said Superintendent of Police Vikas Chandra Tripathi, after ordering a probe into the incident.
