Did Rijiju and Naqvi mislead the Rajya Sabha?

A fortnight after a vigilante group at Alwar killed Pehlu Khan and assaulted dairy farmers from Nuh (Haryana) returning after buying milch cattle from the weekly cattle market run by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation, Rajasthan Police continue to claim that they were cow smugglers and that they did not have the Collector’s permission to transport cattle outside the state.

While the police go after the six people allegedly named by Pehlu Khan (55) in his dying declaration, sceptics wonder how much credence should be placed on the declaration recorded by the police without the presence of a magistrate as mandated by law. Most people seem to believe that the names were recorded by the police to extort money as they would seem to be the natural ‘conspirators’ or ‘instigators’.

How would otherwise a dairy farmer from the neighbouring state identify six people in the mob at Alwar ? The six absconders are the Divisional-in-charge of the RSS, Director of the Gau Seva Samiti, the district coordinator of the ABVP, Kasba Pramukh of the Hindu Jagran Manch, former Vice-President of the ABVP and the Gaushala Pramukh of Manav Jagruti Manch.

The police’s version of cattle smuggling appears dubious for the following reasons:

• Cattle smugglers are unlikely to buy cattle and obtain receipts from municipal authorities

• Cattle smuggling takes place mostly at night and not in daylight

• It is also unusual for cattle smugglers to use the highway

• At the Jaipur Municipal Corporation or at the cattle market, there was no banner, signage or hoarding to alert people that cattle were not allowed to be transported outside the state without permission.

• Nobody appears to know in Jaipur how many such permissions have been sought or given and indeed on what grounds such prayers were granted or rejected.

• The municipal receipt issued to Pehlu Khan carried his full name and correct address. Why would cattle smugglers use their own name and address if they had any ulterior motive ?

Even as people at Alwar accuse the police of harassing innocent youth and letting off people clearly visible on the videos that have been circulating on social media, the Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Kiren Rijiju laid the following statement in the Rajya Sabha on the incident, once again accusing the dairy farmers of being cattle smugglers.

The minister’s statement reads : “ Sir, on 01.04.2017 at about 6:30 p.m., information was received in Police Station, Bahrod, that certain cows and calf were being transported to smuggle in three canters and one pick up jeep. Eleven persons were detained and further investigation was initiated and an FIR was lodged under Rajasthan Bovine Animal Act.”

“Subsequently, the Police Station, Bahrod, at 07:00 PM also received a complaint that some people stopped two pick-up vans in which there were cows and there was altercation between two groups of people.”

“On reaching the spot, the SHO found that there were about 200 people who have gathered there. There was altercation between the people in which 5 people got injured and were admitted to Kailash Hospital.”

“FIR No. 255/17 under sections 308, 143, 323, 341, 427 and 379 of IPC was lodged. Subsequently, one of the persons, namely Md. Pehlu Khan, aged 55, succumbed to his injuries and thereafter Section 302 was also added to the FIR.”

The minister’s statement was in response to the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha seeking to know if a dairy farmer had indeed been lynched by a vigilante group. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had denied the occurrence of any such incident. He later tried to wriggle out by claiming that he was referring to the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana.

But the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman’s direction was categorical and calls Naqvi’s bluff. “If such an incident as alleged by Members took place, it is a serious matter; it is equally serious if such an incident has not taken place as the minister has claimed,” he had said before directing Naqvi to obtain the factual position from the Government.

The facts would suggest that both the ministers are guilty of having misled the House.