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Usmani’s Elgar Parishad speech being examined, assures Maharashtra government
Deshmukh was responding to the demand made by the BJP of action against Usmani for allegedly terming the Hindu community as “rotten”, during his address
Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said that the police are examining video recording of the speech made by student leader Sharjeel Usmani at Elgar Parishad held in Pune last Satuday to check for objectionable comments. He said any action on Usmani will be based on the police findings.
Deshmukh was responding to the demand made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of action against Usmani for allegedly saying that the Hindu community had “rotted”, during his address.
“We are checking the video recording of the speech made at Elgar Parishad for objectionable comments. Until police have verified the claims, we cannot comment on it,” Deshmukh told reporters on Monday.
Addressing a gathering of 500 people at the second edition of the conclave at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch, Usmani allegedly said that the Hindu community has “rotted,” adding, “fourteen-year-old Hafiz Junaid was killed by a mob in a train and no one stopped his attackers. I wonder what they (attackers) do at home after lynching a person. They may have discovered a new way to wash their hands – take bath with some medicine, have food, go for movies, touch the feet of their father and then lynch another person the next day.”
BJP state unit spokesperson Keshav Upadhye had asked if chief minister Uddhav Thackeray would take action against Usmani or continue his rhetoric that Shiv Sena has not abandoned Hindutva.
“How dare he say the Hindu community has rotted? Will the CM take action against him or continue with his rhetoric that they have not left Hindutva. State home minister Anil Deshmukh should take action against him,” Upadhye said, objecting to Usmani’s comment.
The Elgar Parishad conclave was organised by Bhima Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyan, an umbrella organisation of 250 Dalit organisations.
