New Delhi [India], January 1 : RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Thursday launched a sharp attack on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and the BJP, alleging "selective silence" on incidents of violence and discrimination, citing the murder of a Tripura student in Uttarakhand as a glaring example.
"After his (Mohan Bhagwat's) extensive statement, who should be the first to heed his words? Whose ideology does he represent, and which political party draws inspiration from him? It's the BJP, isn't it?" Jha said. Referring to the Dehradun incident, he added, "Right now, in their own state of Uttarakhand, a child from Tripura is murdered. I haven't heard a single statement from him on this. The blatant form of linguistic and racial discrimination that we are witnessing, when so much poison was being sown, he remained continuously silent. Now the poison has reached every nostril, every lung."
Jha's remarks came amid heightened political reactions to recent statements by Bhagwat, who has been addressing gatherings across the country as the RSS marks 100 years of its existence. Bhagwat has stressed that Hindu Sammelans should be seen as a "moment of responsibility" and not as a show of power, calling for the removal of discrimination, promotion of social harmony, respect for linguistic diversity, and adherence to the Constitution.
The controversy has gained traction following the murder of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, who was attacked by a group of assailants armed with knives and blunt objects in Dehradun on December 9 and later died during treatment.
Uttarakhand Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh said CCTV footage from the crime scene has been seized and analysed. Five accused have been arrested so far, while the main absconding accused, Yagya Raj Awasthi, remains on the run. Police have announced a reward of ₹1 lakh for information leading to his arrest.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed condolences to Chakma's family and assured that justice would be delivered. "All necessary steps are being taken, and the culprits will not be spared," the Chief Minister said.
Jha, however, questioned the credibility of appeals for social harmony in the absence of strong moral and political accountability, saying that speeches must translate into action on the ground.