Chhattisgarh: “Congress acted against Hindus in Biranpur incident”, says BJP State President Arun Sao

Slamming the ruling Congress Government of Chhattisgarh for appeasement politics, the Bharatiya Janata Party on October 8 alleged that the Congress party opted to intentionally act against the Hindus in the Biranpur village incident, which has been vividly reflected in the judgment of the session court.

Interacting with the media, the BJP State President of the Chhattisgarh unit, Arun Sao, said that we still vividly recall the brutal incident that unfolded on April 8 when an innocent youth, Bhuvneshwar Sahu, was brutally killed. However, throughout the matter, the State Government has acted against only the majoritarian community, against which we repeatedly raised our objection.

On the one hand, only a handful of people (11) have been arrested among around 40 accused whose names were submitted by the relatives of Bhuvneshwar Sahu. On the other hand, while acting biasedly, the Government has tried to create an environment of fear and panic among the Hindu community, further alleged the BJP state president.

“The verdict of the session court has proved our allegations to be true that the Government has acted biasedly and opted not to arrest the perpetrators about whom the father and brother of Bhuvneshwar Sahu had informed. They are roaming freely, they are not even enquired into the matter while on the other hand the innocent youths of the Hindu community were implicated into false cases and were put behind the bars”, said Arun Sao

Further, while highlighting the details of the judgment, the BJP President said that “the court has acquitted all the eight members of the Hindu community from all the charges labelled against them. The verdict explains how the State Government is acting against the Hindus and trying to protect the perpetrators. While concluding the press conference (PC) the BJP leader asserted that the incident occurred due to Love Jihad and it explains the status of law and order in the State.”

Arun Sao was interacting with the media personnel after the session court in a verdict on October 7 acquitted as many as eight persons who were arrested after the Biranpur incident unfolded in April this year.

The Biranpur incident

It is to be noted that the case pertains to the brutal murder of a youth identified as Bhuvneshwar Sahu of Biranpur village under Saaja police station limits of Bemetara district in Chhattisgarh on April 8 this year.

The cold-blooded murder of the youth occurred after a group of Islamists attacked the Hindu community over a minor scuffle between the two students returning from school with a youth of the Muslim community. It was then reported that a group of people stabbed Bhuvneshwar Sahu, and when he fell unconscious, they took him along. Later, his body was found lying in an open space.

Bhuvneshwar’s father, Ishwar Sahu, had earlier alleged that his son was murdered due to a four-month enmity that arose after a Muslim man married a girl from our community. He further alleged that the Hindus had a meeting ‘ Hindu Sabha’ after they took a girl from our community; thus they wanted to take revenge.

It was also claimed that the reason behind the growing enmity between the two communities was due to the number of incidents of Love Jihad which had occurred in the region over a couple of years time, which finally led to a violent clash between the groups in which Bhuvneshwar was killed.

The incident sparked a huge outrage among the Hindu community in the State, following which calls were given for a statewide shutdown by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). The shutdown call was also supported by the Bhilai Chamber of Commerce and the BJP, whose State President, Arun Sao, had also arrived at the village to meet the victim’s family.

Allegations put by Bhuvneshwar Sahu’s father

Notably, earlier in August, Ishwar Sahu, in a PC, labelled a shocking allegation against the incumbent Congress Government of Chhattisgarh. Ishwar Sahu had alleged that he was tricked by the Sub-divisional magistrate and block revenue officer, who allegedly took his signature on a paper pertaining to the acceptance of compensation money provided by the Government.

Interacting with the media, Ishwar Sahu alleged that he was called up for a meeting, where SDM and the block revenue officer were already in attendance. He said, “They told me to sign a paper asserting that it is related to the development works of your village and already has the signatures of the village head and others. I didn’t want to sign that paper, but signed it after they insisted. Later on, I got to know that the paper I signed pertains to the compensation amount provided by the Government, which I had refused in the past as well.I was tricked by them”.

“Others accused in the case have not been arrested. Additionally, whatever I want to mention in my statement against those who have been held so far is not being taken, while what I don’t say has been taken as my statement, when I go to the Saaja police station for a Challan (receipt) police says come tomorrow and avoid my request, in such a scenario what can we expect from the Government”, added Ishwar Sahu.

Ishwar Sahu further alleged that Bhuvneshwar’s mother was also threatened by a youth from the Muslim community who said, ” till now only one member of the Teli community has been killed in Biranpur, there would be others as well.” Further, when asked about what he seeks in the matter, Ishwar Sahu replied with a folded hand, “I don’t want any compensation or a job either, all I want is Justice.”