Bihar verdict a tribute to my father: Dadri lynching victim's son

The son of the man, who was lynched in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh over rumours of eating and storing beef, says the defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the bitterly fought Bihar assembly elections is a tribute to his father.

The September 28 killing of Mohammad Ikhlaq somehow played a crucial role in the outcome of the Bihar polls.

When asked how he felt about the results, Sartaj, Ikhlaq’s son was quoted by the Times of India as saying, “There’s no space for hate politics in our country. Today’s result is a tribute to my father, and against hate and communalism. People should realise there is no gain in fighting in the name of religion. I appeal to all politicians not to divide the country for the sake of power.”

The Grand Alliance won a whopping 178 of the 243 seats, leaving the BJP -- which wanted to oust Nitish Kumar -- and its allies with just 58 seats in the Bihar assembly election.

Image: The Ikhlaq family meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.