AHMEDABAD: Gujarat State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Friday added fuel to the raging controversy over the public flogging by the police of some men accused of pelting stones at a garba event in Kheda district of the state. Sanghavi, during an address at the Gujarat University in Ahmedabad, praised the police action.
“Some human rights representatives are well awake these days. Human rights are only for stone pelters. Shouldn’t there be human rights for the small children and women who were hit by the stones?,” he said. He added: “Can’t we organise garba in our village chowk? Why is it that there are always human rights only for stone pelters? Now is the time to think.”
Praising Gujarat Police for flogging the accused, Sanghavi said, “Now people of the state can perform garba late at night because of Gujarat Police. The state police have done a nice job and people should express their gratitude towards them on social media.”
Meanwhile, sources say that after receiving a legal notice, DGP Ashish Bhatia has ordered an inquiry into the incident. Sources said it would also be inquired as to who filmed the incident and made the video clips viral. The Minority Coordination Committee, a voluntary organisation, had earlier sent legal notices to the state chief secretary and director general of police.
The Opposition had also condemned the incident and demanded action after the accused were held tight around an electric pole, thrashed with batons, and asked by the police to apologise in public, as the crowd cheered.