This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/05/brother-indian-man-murdered-eating-beef-calls-for-calm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Brother of Indian man murdered for eating beef calls for calm Brother of Indian man murdered for eating beef calls for calm
(35 minutes later)
The brother of a man murdered by a mob in India because they thought he had been eating beef has appealed for calm as tensions continue to mount in the aftermath of the incident.The brother of a man murdered by a mob in India because they thought he had been eating beef has appealed for calm as tensions continue to mount in the aftermath of the incident.
Related: Inside the Indian village where a mob killed a man for eating beefRelated: Inside the Indian village where a mob killed a man for eating beef
Mohammed Akhlaq, 50, was beaten to death by a mob at his home in Bishara village, 24 miles (40km) from the centre of Delhi, the Indian capital, a week ago.Mohammed Akhlaq, 50, was beaten to death by a mob at his home in Bishara village, 24 miles (40km) from the centre of Delhi, the Indian capital, a week ago.
The mob that killed him believed that Akhlaq and his family, who are Muslim, had eaten meat from a cow, an animal considered sacred by many Hindus, who make up 80% of the Indian population. Akhlaq and his son were dragged from their beds and beaten with bricks. The father died; the son is fighting for his life in hospital.The mob that killed him believed that Akhlaq and his family, who are Muslim, had eaten meat from a cow, an animal considered sacred by many Hindus, who make up 80% of the Indian population. Akhlaq and his son were dragged from their beds and beaten with bricks. The father died; the son is fighting for his life in hospital.
Another son, Mohammed Sartaj Akhlaq, 24, appealed on Monday for “harmony”. On Monday another son, Mohammed Sartaj Akhlaq, 24, appealed for “harmony”. He told the local TV network NDTV: “This is not the time for politics. They [politicians] can come and share our grief, but they should not do politics. That’s all I ask.”
“This is not the time for politics. They [politicians] can come and share our grief, but they should not do politics. That’s all I ask,” he told local TV network NDTV. The incident has sparked a political row and hundreds of extra police have been deployed in the vicinity of the attack to keep order.
The incident has sparked a political row in the emerging south Asian power and authorities have been forced to reinforce the hundreds of extra police already deployed in the immediate vicinity of the attack to keep order. In recent days, hardline Hindu campaigners have repeatedly come close to trying to justify the attack. Sadhvi Prachi, a leader of the extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad, told reporters at the weekend that “those who consume beef deserve such actions against them”.
In recent days, hardline Hindu campaigners have repeatedly come close to justifying the attack. Sadhvi Prachi, a leader of the extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad, told reporters at the weekend that “those who consume beef deserve such actions against them.” Mahesh Sharma, India’s culture minister and a local MP, described the killing as a “misunderstanding” to the Guardian at the weekend.
The local member of parliament and national minister of culture, Mahesh Sharma, described the killing as a “misunderstanding” to the Guardian at the weekend.
Sharma has made a series of controversial public statements in recent weeks that have raised concerns among minorities and some observers about majoritarian tendencies within the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), which has deep roots in the Hindu nationalist movement in India.Sharma has made a series of controversial public statements in recent weeks that have raised concerns among minorities and some observers about majoritarian tendencies within the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), which has deep roots in the Hindu nationalist movement in India.
In one recent speech, Sharma vowed to cleanse public life polluted by western influences and suggested that the Bible and the Qur’an were not central to Indian culture. In another, he described a revered scientist as a “nationalist, despite being a Muslim”. In one recent speech, Sharma vowed to cleanse public life “polluted” by western influences and suggested that the Bible and the Qur’an were not central to Indian culture. In another, he described a revered scientist as a “nationalist, despite being a Muslim”.
Some have suggested the killing in Bishara was a pre-meditated attack aimed at polarising the village on religious lines by militant Hindu groups loyal to the BJP, which won a landslide victory in a general election last year.Some have suggested the killing in Bishara was a pre-meditated attack aimed at polarising the village on religious lines by militant Hindu groups loyal to the BJP, which won a landslide victory in a general election last year.
Many ministers in the government are members of an umbrella group, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is the BJP’s ideological parent. The movement propagates an ideology of Hindutva, or Hindu-ness, which asserts that India is a Hindu nation and that successive invasions, first Muslim and then British, imposed alien cultures. Many ministers in the government are members of an umbrella group, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is the BJP’s ideological parent. The movement propagates an ideology of Hindutva, or Hindu-ness, which asserts that India is a Hindu nation and that successive invasions, first Muslim and then British, imposed alien cultures. Narendra Modi, the prime minister, spent the first decades of his career in the RSS.
Narendra Modi, the prime minister, spent the first decades of his career in the RSS. Police have arrested seven Hindu youths over the murder and one paramilitary soldier accused of planning the attack. Several of suspects are related to a local BJP party worker. Investigators are searching for local Hindu activists who spread rumours and published online posts stating that Akhlaq had stored beef in his refrigerator.
Police have arrested seven Hindu youths over the murder and one paramilitary soldier accused of planning the attack. Several of suspects are related to a local BJP party worker. Investigators are also searching for local Hindu activists who spread rumours and published online posts stating that Akhlaq had stored beef in his refrigerator. Sectarian violence in India is often used by politicians to drum up support and consolidate what are known as “vote banks” behind one or other party. The region around the site of the killing holds village council elections next week and Bishara has now become a magnet for campaigning politicians.
Sectarian violence in India is often used by politicians to drum up support and consolidate what are known as “vote banks” behind one or other party. One BJP MP accused of instigating sectarian riots elsewhere in the poor northern state of Uttar Pradesh came to Bishara on Sunday and warned of a “befitting reply” if the suspects were prosecuted, according to news reports.
The region around the site of the killing holds village council elections next week and Bishara has now become a magnet for campaigning politicians. Muslim politicians have also visited the village. Owaisi Asauddin said the death of Akhlaq was a “religious murder”, encouraged by increasingly hostile attitudes towards Muslims in India.
One BJP lawmaker accused of instigating the sectarian riots elsewhere in the poor northern state of Uttar Pradesh came to Bishara on Sunday and warned of a “befitting reply” if the suspects were prosecuted, according to news reports. In most of India, most of the time, killing cows is illegal, but possessing or eating beef is not, and India is the second largest exporter and fifth biggest consumer in the world.
Muslim politicians have also visited the village. Owaisi Asauddin said the death of Akhlaq was a “religious murder”, encouraged by an increasingly hostile atmosphere to Muslims in India. Modi’s party has clamped down further on eating beef in states where it rules, and in recent months government leaders have advocated a national ban on cow slaughter. Critics say tougher anti-beef laws discriminate against Muslims, Christians and lower-caste Hindus who rely on the cheap meat for protein.
In most of India, most of the time, killing cows is illegal, but possessing or eating beef is not.
Modi’s party has, in states where it rules, clamped down further on eating beef, even though India is the second largest exporter and fifth biggest consumer in the world. In recent months, government leaders have advocated a national ban on cow slaughter. Critics say tougher anti-beef laws discriminate against Muslims, Christians and lower-caste Hindus who rely on the cheap meat for protein.
A number of hardline Hindu factions have taken the law into their own hands, attacking cattle trucks, tracking religious conversions in villages and towns, and warning Hindu girls against relationships with Muslim boys. Some blame the prime minister for failing to speak out more strongly against such activities.A number of hardline Hindu factions have taken the law into their own hands, attacking cattle trucks, tracking religious conversions in villages and towns, and warning Hindu girls against relationships with Muslim boys. Some blame the prime minister for failing to speak out more strongly against such activities.
“The blame for this has to fall entirely on Modi. Those who spread this poison enjoy his patronage. This government has set a tone that is threatening, mean-spirited and inimical to freedom,” wrote Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a commentator, in the Indian Express newspaper.“The blame for this has to fall entirely on Modi. Those who spread this poison enjoy his patronage. This government has set a tone that is threatening, mean-spirited and inimical to freedom,” wrote Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a commentator, in the Indian Express newspaper.
Uttar Pradesh, which has a population of nearly 200 million and is known for its lawlessness, has been particularly prone to sectarian violence in recent years. Uttar Pradesh, which has a population of nearly 200 million and is known for its lawlessness, has been particularly prone to sectarian violence in recent years. In 2013, 65 people died in sectarian strife around the town of Muzaffarnagar, in the west of the state.
In 2013, 65 people died in sectarian strife around the town of Muzaffarnagar in the west of the state.