Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government is likely to impose the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on Pinky Chaudhary, the president of the Hindu Raksha Dal, following an attack on residents of a slum in Ghaziabad. The incident, which occurred near the Guldhar railway station under the Madhuban Bapudham police station’s jurisdiction, saw members of the Hindu Raksha Dal vandalize the slum and assault its residents, whom they falsely accused of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
The attack, which took place on Friday, was led by Chaudhary and involved 15 to 20 of his supporters. The group allegedly targeted the slum’s residents based on their religion, with Muslim families bearing the brunt of the violence. Several people, including children and the elderly, were injured, and significant property damage was inflicted, with some huts being set on fire.
Pinky Chaudhary, who was arrested by the Ghaziabad police following the attack, released a video on Wednesday prior to the attack, in which he expressed his anger in what he claimed was support for Bangladeshi Hindus. In the video, Chaudhary called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government to ensure the safety of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, a stance that he claimed motivated his actions.
Videos of the incident quickly spread across social media, sparking widespread outrage. The slum, which consists of around 10 to 15 huts, as confirmed by Kavinagar Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abhishek Srivastava, was home to Indian citizens, not Bangladeshis irrespective of what the attackers had claimed. The slum is built on freehold land, and all its residents have legal rights to their property.
In response to the attack, the police have filed a suo moto First Information Report (FIR) against Chaudhary and his supporters, including charges related to violence, causing injury, and property damage. Despite the police’s attempts to intervene and clarify the residents’ status, the attackers continued their assault.
Meanwhile, The Uttar Pradesh government is preparing to invoke the NSA against Chaudhary is a significant escalation, reflecting the severity with which the state views the incident. The NSA allows for the detention of individuals without charge for up to a year if they are deemed a threat to national security or public order.
Mahi Saha
Mahi Saha, from Ranchi, reports for Neo Politico.
