Lynch mobs turned Lord Ram's name into murder cry: Nusrat Jahan

Kolkata, July 26: Three days after 49 eminent personalities from the fields of arts and sciences spoke out on the issues of mob lynching, The actress turned-TMC MP Nusrat Jahan wrote in an open letter that "hate crimes and mob lynchings are on a steep rise in the country". She says so-called "cow vigilantes" have turned Lord Ram's name into a murder cry and has appreciated members of civil society groups speaking up for human life.

"There are numerous incidents of citizens being attacked by so-called 'cow vigilantes' over rumours of eating beef or cow-smuggling, etc. The government's selective silence and inaction hits us hard.

Lynch mobs have actually turned Lord Ram's name into a murder cry," Jahan said in a tweet.

According to the actress-turned MP, mob lynching criminals "are nothing but enemies of our country and are terrorists".

She mentioned that the period 2014-19 has recorded the most number of hate crimes against Muslims, Dalits and other minorites. "2019 by now has witnessed more than 11 hate crimes and 4 deaths. They are all minorities and suppressed," she wrote.

Earlier, on July 23 letter, which also stressed that there is "no democracy without dissent", has been written by 49 celebrities from various fields, including filmmakers Shyam Benegal and Aparna Sen as well as vocalist Shubha Mudgal, historian Ramchandra Guha and sociologist Ashis Nandy.

"We, as peace loving and proud Indians, are deeply concerned about a number of tragic events that have been happening in recent times in our beloved country," the letter said.

"The lynching of Muslims, Dalits and other minorities must be stopped immediately. We were shocked to learn from the NCRB that there have been no less than 840 instances of atrocities against Dalits in the year 2016, and a definite decline in the percentage of convictions," it continued.

The signatories said they regretted that "Jai Shri Ram" has been reduced to a "provocative war cry that leads to law and order problems, and many lynchings take place in its name".

It is shocking, they said, that so much violence should be perpetrated in the name of religion.

"These are not the Middle Ages! The name of Ram is sacred to many in the majority community of India. As the highest executive of this country you must put a stop to the name of Ram being defiled in this manner," the open letter to the prime minister said.