Singh at Bajrang Dal actvist Jitendra Prasad’s home. (Photo: Bablu Kumar) Singh at Bajrang Dal actvist Jitendra Prasad’s home. (Photo: Bablu Kumar)

Union minister and BJP MP from Nawada, Giriraj Singh, on Sunday met families of Bajrang Dal and VHP activists arrested last week on charges of inciting communal tension and questioned the Bihar government if “suppressing Hindus is secularism”.

The BJP MP, who broke down while meeting the son of an arrested VHP leader, said he felt “helpless” for not being able to do anything in the matter despite being the local MP and his party being a part of NDA ruling coalition in the state. The MP had met the arrested Bajrang Dal and VHP activists in Nawada jail on Saturday.

Police arrested Bajrang Dal district coordinator Jitendra Prasad on July 3 in connection with communal violence during Ramnavami last year. The arrest was made reportedly after top police officers decided to take action in pending matters relating to communal violence.

Bajrang Dal and VHP activists protested against Prasad’s arrest and forced a bandh in Nawada. VHP district general secretary Kailash Vishwakarma, who allegedly delivered a provocative speech during the protest was arrested on 6 July with five other Bajrang Dal and VHP activists. Nawada SP S Hari Prasath said: “Jitendra Prasad was wanted in an April 2017 case. Vishwakarma and others were arrested later for creating law and order problems and provoking people”.

The Nawada MP, who visited the families of Prasad and Vishwakarma on Sunday, broke down when Vishwakarma’s son pleaded innocence of his father. The MP said: “I am asking (the state government) to state honestly how Jitu, Kailash and others named are involved in fomenting communal violence”.

Giriraj further asked if “destroying Hindus” is secularism. “…ye nahi chalega ki aap daba karke… Ab agar desh me secularism ki paribhasha ye maan liya ho ki Hinduon kio dabana hi secularism hai… Sarvadharma sambhav, Hindu ko tabah karna hi secularism hai? (It will not be accepted that you suppress us. Is definition of secularism in this country the supression of Hindus? Camaraderie of all religions! Is destroying Hindus

Questioning who tore down posters of Rama in 2017 in Nawada, he said, “Who had torn pictures of Rama? Muslims from here did so. And on the contrary, people from other side were blamed and framed)”.

Asked why he is not able to do anything in the matter despite being a Union minister and his party being part of the government in Bihar, Singh said, “This is my helplessness. I want to tell the state government to be impartial. One can check records since 2014 to know how people of Nawada had worked towards communal harmony”.

JD (U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi, however, told The Indian Express: “People holding reponsible positions must not do anything that can create tension in society. Whether it is Jayant Sinha garlanding lynching convicts or Giriraj Singh meeting families of those accused of inciting communal passion, they should have refrained from such acts.”

Sources in Police headquarters said all districts that witnessed communal tension during Ramnavami had been directed to take action in pending communal violence cases. Eight districts, including Nawada, Aurangabad, Shekhpura and Bhagalpur, had reported communal violence this March and April.

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