In a shocking instance of extremely offensive and inflammatory speech Raghuraj Singh, a BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh openly threatened people protesting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) . Singh said that anti-CAA protesters will be buried alive.
This statement was made a pro-CAA rally held at Numaish Maidan, Aligarh on January 12. Interestingly, the Deputy CM of Uttar Pradesh was also present at this event. Singh also said that the students who are joining these protests from Universities across India, their careers will be ruined and they will be booked under stringent laws like Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). Singh further said, “Modi is at the Centre and Yogi is sitting in Uttar Pradesh. You will not be spared. You will be booked under POTA, you will not get bail. Don’t risk your future.”
Our Take: The specific mention of burying protesters alive can be perceived to be targeted at minority communities that bury their dead instead of cremating them. Such a statement coming from an MLA from a state like Uttar Pradesh is extremely offensive, though not surprising, given how the state government has given the UP police a virtual free-hand in controlling protesters. At least 20 anti-CAA protesters have been killed so far, many of them due to police firing. It can also be viewed as a clarion call for the BJP supporters and workers in the state to suppress anti-CAA protests, especially ones in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
The video may be viewed here:
https://twitter.com/MirrorNow/
“Will bury alive those who are against CAA”
U.P Minister Raghuraj Singh makes an insensitive comment at a public gathering pic.twitter.com/TLo8NKrNrX
— Mirror Now (@MirrorNow) January 12, 2020