Raheem Khan, IndiaTomorrow.net,
Jaipur, May 03: This day 30 days ago, 50-year-old Haryana dairy farmer Pahlu Khan took his last breath on the bed of a local hospital here – two days back, he was assaulted by a brutal gang of self-styled Gau Rakshaks, cow vigilantes.
While some of the assaulters have been arrested, neither the Rajasthan government nor the Haryana government – both run by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party – have announced any compensation to the family of Mewat native Khan though full one month has passed.
Seeking justice for Khan, over a dozen social organizations held a protest demonstration in several parts of the state including Jaipur, Ajmer, Bharatpur, Bhilwada, Rajasmand and Alwar.
On 1st April in Alwar, a gang of Gau Rakshaks attacked Pahlu Khan and four other Muslim dairy farmers when they were returning after purchasing some cows and calves from a government-run cattle fair in Jaipur. They were brutally beaten up by the mob. They had valid papers from the Municipal authorities of Jaipur but the attackers didn’t heed. Pahlu Khan succumbed to injuries in hospital. Azmat, another victim, who got serious injuries in his backbone is not able to walk. He is under treatment now.
Today the civil groups submitted with district magistrates a memorandum addressed to Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje. They demanded immediate arrest of all the named accused and Rs 1 crore as compensation to Khan’s family and Rs 25 lakh each to three injured persons.
In Delhi also, a similar protest was held at the Bikaner House. PUCL’s Kavita Srivastava and others submitted a memorandum to the Resident Commissioner.
