India Tomorrow

New Delhi, June 25— In order to press the government to put a check on the menace of mob lynching, which is claiming lives of people at regular interval and claimed the life of 22-year-old Tabrez Ansari in Jharkhand three days ago, civil rights activists are going to hold protest demonstration in around 50 cities across the country on Wednesday.

With different hashtags like #JusticeForTabrez and #IndiaAgainstLynchTerror, a campaign is running on social media for the Wednesday protests.

Tabrez Ansari @Sonu, who died on Saturday (June 22), was brutally assaulted by a mob for whole night on Tuesday (June 18) on suspicion of theft. The police reached the spot next morning, says his young widow Shaista Parween in her written complaint to the Police, and took him to the local police station and after first aid he was presented in the court and sent to jail on a theft complaint.

The incident took place in the Saraikela Kharsawan district of the state.

It appears that no case was registered then against the assaulters. However, after his death on Saturday and a video of the assault went viral, the police have lodged a case against those who had beaten Ansari. He was in jail when his condition deteriorated on June 22 and he was taken to hospital where he died.

In the last one month, several incidents of mob violence in the name of cow, beef or theft have occurred in the country. In many of them, the goons were seen on video beating and asking the victims to chant slogans like ‘Jai Shri Ram.’

“People are being killed in mob lynching. Government is not taking them seriously. People are angry. They will be holding protest demonstration to put pressure not only on the government but also on the Opposition and elected representatives of their areas to check the menace,” said eminent civil rights activist Nadeem Khan.

He said that no organizing is holding these protests. Rather, individuals and activists are holding them on their own because they think “enough is enough”.

Besides eminent members of civil society, Congress party are  alsotweeting with the hashtag #IndiaAgainstLynchTerror.

“It's been 1 month and 14 hate crimes since BJP took to power for their second term. The government should admit that hate crimes have sky rocketed under their rule and must come up with a plan to put an end to such barbarianism. #IndiaAgainstLynchTerror pic.twitter.com/gHiUgrqPQx,” tweeted Congress Tuesday evening.

Journalist Aditya Menon tweeted: “Mob lynching represents the highest form of radicalisation in a society. If killings like that of #TabrezAnsari don't anger you, then you are part of the problem.  #IndiaAgainstLynchTerror”.

Former JNU research scholar Umar Khalid tweeted: “In Delhi tomorrow, 26th June, 5 pm. Candle light vigil for #TabrezAnsari . Join in numbers. Come with your own placards. Join for Justice. Join Against Hate. #IndiaAgainstLynchTerror”.

Besides Delhi, protests will be held in Ranchi, Patna, Lucknow, Bhopal, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Aligarh and Muzaffarnagar.