As outrage over the incident continues, Amnesty India described the act as “serious human rights violation” and “utter disrespect towards rule of law”
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Public flogging of nine Muslim men after tying them to a pole by police officials in Gujarat’s Kheda district has set off a massive outrage across the world even as people in India continue to slam the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over the egregious act.
Video clip of the incident viral on Twitter shows crowds were cheering as the officers watched plainclothes cops hit the men. Local news outlet VTV Gujarati News also shared the video captioned “10-11 heretics were brought to the village, where the police taught them a lesson in public” in Undhela village. According to the report, the accused were asked to “apologise to the public” in the presence of a police inspector in charge of the area.
Prominent human rights body Amnesty India described the act as “serious human rights violation” and “utter disrespect towards rule of law”.
“The Gujarat police’s use of striking devices such as lathis to beat Muslim men who were tied to a pole by the police themselves is a serious human rights violation and shows their utter disrespect towards rule of law,” said the Amnesty.
It further said, “We remind the @GujaratPolice that punishment is never a legitimate objective for a law enforcement action, even if using less lethal weapons. In this case, it blatantly ignored the guiding principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, and accountability.”
Gujarat will elect a new government in December 2022. The state government has a chance to break this cycle of widespread and unchecked impunity and bring to justice those responsible for this unlawful and excessive use of force, noted the rights group.
Many prominent individuals from other countries expressed their grave concern over the incident.
Noted American tennis player said that in which world this is ever ok.
American actor John Cusack linked the incident to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
US author David Mack described the incident as “barbarity” and “the face of facism”.
“This barbarity was committed in full view of police, who did NOTHING to stop it. This is the face of fascism, rising around the globe,” tweeted Mack.
Reacting to the video, US economists Steve Hanke said “in Gujarat, India, Muslim men are publicly flogged as crowds chant Hindu nationalist slogans. Where are the police? Take a look at the scene”.
