Shillong, Jul 21: The president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) youth wing, Mewaker Lyngdoh Pakma, made an inflammatory post on social media today wherein he apparently called for Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protestors in New Delhi to be shot.
Sharing a clip on his Facebook and Instagram status of an agitated individual who supposedly threatens to destroy Parliament while referring to last year’s Nepal protests that brought down the government there, Pakma wrote “Shoot them! Tear gas ain’t enough!” He also shared the hashtag #UAPA_Sedition (UAPA is the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act).
Although Pakma’s call is highly aggressive, it is not abnormal for the BJP, whose politicians and supporters have enthusiastically used the phrase “goli maaro saalon ko” (shoot the bastards) in public elsewhere in the country.
A concerned citizen who asked to be kept anonymous wrote to Highland Post and the paper has confirmed Pakma’s social media status (which was still viewable by the public as of today evening).
“Regardless of one’s political beliefs or views on the protest, advocating that protesters be shot is an extraordinarily serious statement,” the anonymous person said. “India is a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law, where the use of force by law enforcement is strictly regulated and cannot be casually encouraged by public figures. Statements appearing to call for the killing of protesters risk normalising violence, undermining democratic values and eroding public confidence in lawful policing.”
Public office-bearers are expected to exercise restraint and responsibility in their public communications, he added. “When an influential political leader appears to endorse lethal violence against civilians exercising their democratic rights, it becomes a matter of legitimate public interest that deserves careful journalistic examination and public debate.”
