Addressing a an event on December 26, Home minister Amit Shah had said the time has come to punish the Tukde Tukde Gang. (Photo: PTI)

Officials in the Union Home Ministry are scratching their heads over an RTI application which has sought details of members who are part of the 'Tukde Tukde Gang', a term that has been used umpteen number of times by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The RTI application was filed by senior journalist Saket Gokhle on December 26 last year. The home ministry has not replied to it so far.

Sources in the ministry told India Today TV that the term 'Tukde Tukde Gang' has not been mentioned in any report by intelligence and law enforcing agencies. Some officials said they believe this is frivolous RTI application.

Meanwhile, the petitioner Saket Gokhle says he is serious about his application. "If the home ministry does not reply by the January 26 deadline, I will file an appeal and take the matter to the Chief Information Commissioner," Gokhle said.

Speaking to India Today TV over phone, Saket Gokhle said, "The home minister and the even the prime minister have used the term 'Tukde Tukde Gang' on several occasions.

When they refer to such a gang, then it is safe to assume that as a standard operating procedure, the home ministry maintains a list of members of this gang."

Gokhle said he is expecting a reply from the ministry.

"They have to clarify about the list or say this (Tukde Tukde Gang) is a figment of imagination," he said.

COINAGE OF TUKDE TUKDE GANG

The term 'Tukde Tukde Gang' was coined after the February 2016 controversy in the Jawaharlal Nehru University where it was alleged that some people raised "anti-India slogans". The Delhi Police is yet to establish this charge.

However, since then 'Tukde Tukde Gang' has been used by right-wing leaders, particularly of the BJP, including several union ministers, to attack JNU students like Kanhaiya Kumar, Shehla Rashid, Umar Khalid and others.

Of late, PM Modi, home minister Amit Shah, senior BJP leaders and Union ministers have been using this term to slam the Opposition and those who have been critical of the government.

In his RTI application, Saket Gokhle says that on December 26, 2019 home minister Amit Shah addressed a public event in New Delhi, and in his address said, "The Tukde Tukde Gang of Delhi needs to be taught a lesson and punished."

WHAT THE RTI ASKED

Here is the information which has been sought under RTI from the home ministry:

1. Please state the definition of 'tukde tukde gang' as identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs and whether a standard operating procedure (SOP) has been drawn up to identify this alleged gang.

2. Please state whether the Union Home Minister's reference to this alleged 'tukde tukde gang' was based on specific briefings by the ministry or other law enforcement agencies.

3. Please state whether the Ministry of Home Affairs has drawn up a list of leaders and members of the 'tukde tukde gang' that the Union Minister made a reference to.

4. Please state what penal action/punishment (and specifically under which sections of the [IPC and/other Acts) is the Ministry of Home Affairs planning against the members of the 'tukde tukde gang' as declared by the Union home minister.

In a tweet about his RTI application, Saket Gokhle said: "Apparently my RTI asking info on "who is the tukde tukde gang" and other details about it has left the Home Ministry stumped. Their deadline to respond expires in two weeks. Maanyavar--this is going to be fun."

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