Tailor Master’s unstitched thread in pool of blood ripples nation

Special report by Dr Yash Goyal, TIP Special Correspondent in Jaipur

JAIPUR (TIP) At cremation ground when his two sons were performing last rites of their slain father Kanhaiya Lal Teli and giving ‘agni’ to pyre, thousands of people were chanting not only Vedic mantra but also assuring the soul with tears full of heart, ‘Kanhaiya hum sharminda hain, tere katil zinda hain’, and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.

The huge crowd of people of all age groups joined the funeral procession from his residence at Goverdhan Vilas of Dhanmandi area in the Lake City to the cremation ground despite the indefinite Curfew in parts of the city and the Prohibitory Orders in entire division. Two unknown customers who came on bike with open face entered the Supreme Tailor Shop in Bhootmahal locality in Dhanmandi area, asked Kanhaiya to stitch Muslim attire ‘jhola payjama’ for which they stood straight for measurements. Two co-workers were present in the shop staring at the customers. Immediately, one of customers started shooting a video, another turned into a criminal holding sharp edged weapons (small sword/knife) in his hand, attacked him mercilessly in his neck and other upper parts of the body. Kanhaiya collapsed on the floor near his table with hanging head. This video clip containing a threat to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi crept in social media faster than any breaking news. In a first of its kind crime in peaceful Rajasthan, a horrifying and gruesome killing shocked the entire country and the ordinary people of Udaipur got goosebumps and later got angry. Thousands of people jammed the traffic in the Udaipur city, held protests and indulged in arson activity that prompted the state government to clamp indefinite curfew in seven police stations and prohibitory orders in the entire Udaipur division.

Forty-year-old Kanhaiya was allegedly beheaded by two assailants in his shop on June 28 afternoon over his social media post supporting ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in the row of her remarks on the Prophet. The murder is apparently connected with a number of inflammatory social media posts between communities specially after Kanhaiya’s remarks. According to the Rajasthan police, the dispute between Kanhaiya and some Muslim organization was settled on the complaint of life threat to the former very amicably on June 15 but why this tragedy occurred was still a cause of serious concern to be probed. The Gehlot government immediately came into action directing the state police to catch hold of assailants at any cost. Within six hours of the crime, two accused fleeing on a bike were arrested from Bhim area in Rajsamand district by a joint team of senior cops, the Director-General of Police M L Lather has said. The accused were identified as Gaus Mohammed and Mohd Riyaz Akhtari. The Government of Rajasthan has set up a three-member Special Investigation Team ((SIT) headed by Ashok Rathore, ADG-Special Operation Group (SOG), to probe the murder mystery of victim tailor.

          In a next day development, the DGP made a breaking news that Gaus Mohammed has links with Pakistan’s Extremist Organization ‘Dawate Islami’, and he had visited Karachi in 2014 in 2014 and attended this very organization’s meeting. As the PM’s name popped up in the video clip, the National Investigation Agency (anti-terror agency) stepped into it  on the very evening of the crime and claimed that the assailants could have had links with the ISIS of Pakistan. Next morning of the crime, the team arrived in Udaipur to interrogate the accused. CM Ashok Gehlot also assured that the state police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) and Special Operation Group (SOG) would extend their all support and assistance to the national agency. In his sequel of his media interactions, Gehlot said, “It is a very sad incident, and the amount of condemnation is less, it is a matter of great concern that killing someone in this way is very sad, it is also shameful, I understand that there is also a need to correct the atmosphere. There should not be tension in such times, all together. Those guilty will not be spared, for that the whole police is ready to arrest and will keep no stone unturned. I can imagine, I can imagine, how fierce the anger must have been in my heart, I realize this, that is how we will act. Prime Minister and Union Home Minister should come forward and appeal to the public to maintain law and order and communal harmony in the society”.

It is still a mystery and a matter of investigation by the state and central probing agencies whether it was a terror activity in a Taliban style as protested by saffron brigade leaders or a murder controversy in the aftermath of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s comments on prophet ?

Though, the District and Session Court in Udaipur has remanded 14 days of judicial custody of both accused from June 30 to July 13 after the ATS and Dhanmandi Police produced him for custody, but the NIA is likely to take them to Jaipur’s NIA court for taking remand and interrogation.

CM Gehlot with his junior home department minister and DGP paid a visit to slain Kanhaiya Lal’s bereaved family members at latter’s residence and after putting floral tributes on the photo portrait of the deceased, he  paid an ex-gratia payment (cheque) of Rs.50 lakh and assured the government jobs (on contract) to his son. Gehlot also visited JLN Hospital in Ajmer to enquire the medical status of a constable who was injured by a sword in an attack by pro-Hindu protesters in Bhim. He announced to pay a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to him.

It is pertinent to mention that the assembly polls in Gujarat, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh are slated later this year, and in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh next year-2023. Rajasthan in particular has witnessed the communal clashes in Karauli, Alwar’s Rajgarh, and Jodhpur on petty issues in recent months. The Congress party indicates that it was (barring Udaipur murder) all pre-election preparation to divide the two communities on religious lines and create Hindutavadi wave. Whereas the saffron leaders in Rajasthan always blamed the Congress government for its appeasement politics specially in favor of Muslims that created unrest in the Hindus and the worst law and order in the Gehlot regime.

All Muslim Organizations have condemned the brutal killing of the tailor master and called it as ‘un-Islamic’. Normal citizens in Rajasthan are suffering from Internet suspension since June 28, and the digital payment of crores of rupees got stuck causing business and trade loss. Who bothers and cares for public when votes matter, and the assembly elections are approaching ?