In a shocking development, angry BJP corporators on Friday thrashed an elected member from the AIMIM in the Aurangabad municipality after he opposed the condolence meet for the former prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
In the video, BJP corporators are seen mercilessly thrashing Abdul Matin. Those attacking Matin included members of the BJP. Their anger looked like they were determined to even kill the AIMIM member had he not managed to escape in time.
The Friday’s development will further dent India’s image abroad that the country has truly transformed into a failed state, where even an elected representative can be lynched for his differing views.
Reacting to the ugly development, AIMIM MLA Imtiaz Jaleel said that he was taking a delegation to meet the Aurangabad Commissioner to press the demand for the arrest of Matin’s attackers.
“We will meet the Commissioner and ask him to identify the attackers even though I have their names with me. The administration should register a case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) against Matin’s attackers at the least,” Jalid told his supporters.
He said that Friday’s development was also to create a disturbance in the upcoming Muslim festival of Eid-al-Azha, which will be celebrated on 22 August.
The latest incident also shows that even though Shiv Sena may have sounded critical of the BJP in the recent past, when it comes to resorting to violence, the party has not left its dirty past behind. Many reports suggested that those attacking Matin also included Shiv Sena corporators.
Atal Biharfi Vajpayee, a tall BJP leader, died in Delhi on Thursday. He was 93. His death has reignited a fresh debate on his legacy. While some say that he was a good man in the wrong party, many liberals have questioned that description adding that he was as anti-minority as many of his other colleagues.
