JAIPUR: Thousands of people took part in a demonstration in Jaipur on Sunday to protest the brutal killing of a tailor by two men in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, even as the situation remained normal in the city where curfew was relaxed for 10 hours from 8 am.
Members of the RSS, VHP and other Hindu organisations attended the demonstration Jaipur under the banner of “Sarv Hindu Samaj” and demanded death penalty for the accused.
The main demonstration was held at Statue Circle where ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ was also played on loudspeakers. Officials said permission for the demonstration had been granted.
Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor, was killed by two men who had posted videos online that said they were avenging an insult to Islam.
The incident triggered stray cases of violence in Udaipur and a curfew was clamped in seven police station areas of the city.
Former state BJP president Arun Chaturvedi, former MLA Mohan Lal Gupta and others were also present at the demonstration.
"We have gathered here to give a strong message that violence and terrorism will not be tolerated in the country," a seer told reporters at Statue Circle where a separate stage for them had been set up.
"Huge support extended by the people to this demonstration reflects that Hindus are awakened and united for the sake of the Sanatan dharma," local RSS leader Indresh Kumar said.
People demanded the death penalty to the accused in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case.
"The killers must get death penalty," Himanshu Gupta, a local youth said.
A senior police official said the demonstration was held peacefully and permission was granted to the organisers.
Elaborate security arrangements were made and a tight vigil had been kept in the area via drones, he said.
It may be noted that section 144 of CrPC has been imposed across the state after the killing.
Those who attended the demonstration also accused the ruling Congress in the state of doing appeasement politics.
They said Rajasthan will not be allowed to be made a Taliban state and a ‘bulldozer baba’ is needed in Rajasthan too.
The ruling Congress in Rajasthan has gone on the offensive over attempts to misquote remarks of former party President Rahul Gandhi.
A Congress leader has filed an FIR in Jaipur against Zee TV anchor Rohit Ranjan, BJP MP and former I&B Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and others for allegedly presenting Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the vandalisation of his office in Kerala as his statement on the brutal killing of Lal in Udaipur.
The FIR by complainant Ram Singh Kaswan, a Congress leader, claims that Rohit Ranjan intentionally linked Rahul’s statements on the vandalisation of his office to the Udaipur horror in order to mislead people.
(With PTI Inputs)