The Congress on Tuesday strongly condemned the lynching of 40-year-old Dalit man Hariom Valmiki in Rae Bareli, calling it a 'murder of humanity and the Constitution.'
Party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, in a joint statement, said mob lynching, bulldozer justice, and mobocracy have become a “horrifying hallmark of our times.”
HariomValmiki was allegedly beaten to death by a group of villagers near Jamunapur crossing in Unchahar on Wednesday night.
Police said the villagers suspected him of being a thief after rumours circulated about a drone-assisted gang scouting homes for robbery. Hariom was on his way to visit his wife and daughter when he was confronted and brutally attacked.
Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said, “The murder of Hariom is not just the killing of a man, it is the killing of humanity, justice, and the Constitution.” He alleged that marginalised groups, Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, backward classes, and the poor are increasingly becoming targets in today's India.
“Hatred, violence, and mob rule now enjoy the patronage of power. Bulldozers have replaced the Constitution, and fear has taken the place of justice,” Gandhi added.
He further said, "India's future rests on equality and humanity, and this country will run on the Constitution, not on the whims of the mob."
Kharge, sharing the joint statement, called the murder a "stain on our society" and said violence against the marginalised has surged in recent years.
“This is a direct attack on the ideals of the Constitution and social justice,” the Congress leaders said.
The party cited similar past incidents, including the Hathras and Unnao cases, the Rohith Vemula suicide, Pehlu Khan and Akhlaq lynchings, and assaults on Dalits in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, as signs of growing impunity and social decay.
The party also urged citizens to unite against this injustice and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of marginalised communities. “This fight must continue until every Indian’s life and dignity are safeguarded,” the statement read.
So far, five people have been arrested in connection with the lynching. Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.
