Jaan Mohammad, the brother of Mohammad Akhlaq, who was lynched in Dadri last September, told NDTV the family deserved justice.
Highlights
- "With folded hands, I appeal for calm," Jaan Mohammad said
- "Don't let politicians misuse us, don't bury your brotherhood," he said
- At Dadri Mahapanchayat, locals wanted action against Akhlaq's family
In the backdrop of the threats issued at a mahapanchayat in Dadri, Jaan Mohammad, the brother of Mohammad Akhlaq -- the man lynched there nine month ago over beef eating rumours -- made an appeal for peace.
"I want to appeal to the villagers, the countrymen, to keep the peace till the full report is out," said Jaan Mohammad, appearing on NDTV's Buck Stops Here. "With folded hands, I appeal for calm. Don't bury your brotherhood. Even if one drop of blood is shed, it will give me more pain me than my brother's murder," he added.
Led by local politicians from the BJP and Shiv Sena, the Mahapanchayat at Dadri's Bisada village was held today in defiance of prohibitory orders by the police. The locals demanded action against Mr Akhlaq's family in view of the latest forensic reports that said the meat recovered from outside his home was beef, contradicting an earlier report that said it was mutton.
"We give them 20 days. If there is no action, even I can't guarantee that I can control this public anger," said Sanjay Rana, the local BJP leader whose son was among the 18 people arrested for lynching 52-year-old Mr Akhlaq last September.
Jaan Mohammad told NDTV that the family deserved justice.
"Even a blind man can differentiate between a calf's leg and a goat's leg," he said. In this context, he referred to two news reports in the vernacular daily Amar Ujala that had quoted the earlier forensic reports which concluded that the meat tested was mutton. "What has changed now?" he asked.
Appealing to the people not to allow "politicians to misuse us" he said, "I understand people have their views... but this is not about Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or Christians. It is a matter of our common humanity."
"One cannot hold agitations and issue ultimatums to the government. If you have anything to say please present your arguments in a proper way," he added.