BJP leader caught on tape admitting to '5 lynchings'

Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra on Saturday shared on Twitter a purported video clip of Bharatiya Janata Party's former MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja, who is allegedly seen admitting his supporters have so far 'lynched five people'.

The BJP leader is seen making the comment while interrupting a speaker, who was urging a group of people to launch an agitation against the lynching of 45-year-old Chiranjilal Saini.

Saini was allegedly lynched by members of the Mev Muslim community on Sunday morning in Govindgarh town on suspicion of tractor theft.

He died during treatment at Jaipur's state-run SMS Hospital on Monday.

BJP's Alwar (South) chief Sanjay Singh Naruka told PTI that the party 'does not have this thinking'.

"These are his own views," he added.

When contacted, the former Ramgarh MLA maintained his remarks, saying anyone involved in cow smuggling and slaughter won't be spared.

Sharing the video, Dotasra said it has exposed the BJP's true face.

"What more proof is needed of the BJP's religious terror and bigotry? The real face of the BJP has been exposed," he said.

Ahuja said he was sitting with a local Rashtriya Sawayamsevak Sangh leader who suggested that an agitation should be launched to protest the lynching of Chirajilal Saini.

In the video, the former MLA interrupted him, "We have so far lynched five people, be it in Lawandi or Behror. This has happened for the first time in this area that they have lynched someone."

"I have given free hand to workers to kill. We will get them acquitted and secure bail," he continues.

In recent years, at least two incidents have taken place in Alwar where cow vigilantes attacked Mev community people on allegation of cow smuggling.

In one such incident, 55-year-old Pehlu Khan was lynched in Behror on April 1, 2017.

Similarly, Rakbar Khan died after being beaten up in Lawandi village in Alwar's Ramgarh on July 20, 2018 on suspicion of cow smuggling.

When contacted, Ahuja said he was sitting with a local RSS leader who suggested for launching an agitation to protest against the lynching of Chirajilal Saini.

Ahuja told PTI that he told the speaker that five Mev Muslims who were smuggling cows were 'beaten up by our workers'.

"It is the Mev people who smuggle and slaughter cow and Hindus have sentiments for cows, therefore, they target such smugglers," he told PTI.

Ahuja said it was his duty to protect his workers.