Media Release

Bengaluru, Dec 27: Christian Community Coalition (CCC), a minority watch dog group of various Christian organizations and social activists in Bengaluru, unequivocally condemned the irresponsible statement of Rajasthan BJP MLA Dev Ahuja who had stated on record that anyone indulging in cow smuggling or cow slaughtering should be killed.

Advocate PM Mathew, convenor of CCC, speaking on Skype call from a remote holiday location felt that this statement from a law maker is a ‘thought crime’ that is highly regrettable and such statements create ill will among the people in society and foment hatred and incite communal violence. This act of the MLA is in a gross violation of the oath taken at the time of swearing in. The death threat given by the MLA for cow transportation, which subjectively is cow smuggling in Rajasthan, is itself a cognizable offence. Advocate Mathew felt that the Central Government should intervene and take criminal action against the erring MLA immediately and issue orders to dismiss him under IPC section 153 (a) and (c). This is the same irresponsible MLA who is known to make ludicrous statements and had previously claimed that
Jawaharlal Nehru University was a hub of sex and drugs, where 3,000 used condoms and 2,000 liquor bottles were found daily. It is time that the thoughts of such elected representatives rise up from these low levels, he added.

Today, when false cases are hoisted against victims of social injustice by the brute majority, such statements serve as a handle for the antisocial elements to take the law into their hands. If unchecked, such incitement will snow ball into a communal riot – said Renold George, an executive in an MNC here. Prevention is better than cure and the government should take such statements from right wing fundamentalists seriously and take stern action before it is too late. This cannot be dismissed as an isolated incident or the activity of fringe elements, he added.

Some members of CCC felt that whatever be the triggering incident, the MLA cannot be a loose cannon and utter statements that are unconstitutional. These statements are not isolated incidents and they have a cascading effect. Gullible people take them seriously and implement them. When in trouble the followers of such MLAs soon realize their foolishness when no one will come to their rescue. The statement by the MLA should not be dismissed as something that happened somewhere far, far away. Similar statements, be it on cow slaughter, freedom of religion, or minority rights are being delivered at a regular frequency almost on a daily basis by pseudo patriots. Anyone opposing such statements is quickly branded as anti-nationals and the state machinery is quick to file false cases. It is imperative that the
government and the constitutional guardians get into action and arrest the moral degradation of the elected. Left unchecked, this does not portend well for the multicultural secular fabric of this country, they added.

The elected are not above the law and they are accountable to the constitution; they cannot get away by taking the law into their own hands, said David Simeon, former MLC and Christian leader. Such statements will only embolden the cow vigilante groups across the country to unleash terror on the helpless communities. The statement by the Rajasthan MLA is more significant in the context of the ordinance promulgated on September7, 2017 that amends the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC), 1973, and enhances levels of immunity to public servants. According to the new rules, no investigation can be ordered by the police under Section 156 or a magistrate under Section 190 into allegations against public servants, judges and magistrates. Such distortion and manipulation of the constitution by a brute majority should be
checked by a committed opposition who are empowered to prevent such bulldozing of constitutional laws, he added.

Christian Community Coalition, Karnataka, is a group of professionals from various walks of life who have come together as an umbrella organization to be the voice of the marginalized minority groups in society.