Usman Ghani, the former Bikaner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minority Morcha district president, was reportedly ‘detained’ by the police on Saturday, April 27, after he criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks made during an election rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara.
Ghani was expelled from the BJP on Wednesday for his public criticism of PM Modi’s comments, in which the Prime Minister had claimed that the previous Congress government at the Centre led by PM Manmohan Singh said that Muslims have the first right to the nation’s wealth, and questioned whether this wealth should be given to “infiltrators” with more children.
According to the police, a vehicle was sent to Ghani’s locality as a precautionary measure a few days after his statement against the Prime Minister. When Ghani, who had been in Delhi, returned and reportedly questioned the authorities about the vehicle’s presence, he was ‘detained’ under Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code for allegedly causing a breach of peace.
A report by the Indian Express quoted Dhirendra Shekhawat, the SHO of Mukta Prasad Nagar police station, saying, “Gani reached the police station around noon today (Saturday) after a police vehicle had been sent, as a precautionary measure, to his locality two-three days ago, the day he had issued a statement (against the Prime Minister). He had been in Delhi, and today he came (to the police station) and asked us how dare we send a vehicle to his home.”
“We didn’t even know who he is. Thaane ke aagey nakabandi thi, wahan par aake usne police se ulajhne ki koshish ki. Wahan pe isne natak kiya toh band kar diya (there was a blockade outside the police station, where he came and tried to tussle with the police. He did drama there, so we locked him up),” the SHO claimed, adding that the action was taken “under CrPC section 151 for breach of peace”.
“He is in the lock up, we will present him before an additional district magistrate (ADM). And to maintain the peace we will bound him down for six months,” the SHO said, according to the report.
In response to PM Modi’s inflammatory remarks describing Muslim minorities in India as “infiltrators” and “those who have more children,” Ghani expressed disappointment and condemned the alleged hate speech.
He stated that when he “goes to Muslims to seek votes” for the BJP, the community members discuss the Prime Minister’s words and “look for answers” from him. He further stated that the Jat community in the state is upset with the BJP and has voted against it in Churu and other constituencies.
