Sreenivasan Jain takes monkey-balancing to absurd levels, while the mainstream media turns a blind eye to saffron murders

The supporters of the BJP are being attacked across the country. The BJP supporters are facing violence from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu. Incidences like the one where a 75 year old supporter was attacked for campaigning for BJP in Tamil Nadu is just one of the many examples. The electoral competition is taking an ugly turn where the party supporters are being attacked. The same victims are also tagged as ‘fascist’ by other opposition leaders.

An incidence from Maharashtra, where it was reported that the MNS (Maharashtra Navirman Sena) leaders were booked for intimidating and physically assaulting a BJP worker in the district of Thane, Maharashtra. The report was filed by the BJP activist Pradeep Rane who was attacked by MNS which took offense on a WhatsApp message forwarded on 9^th April. Another incidence took place where an individual categorised as ‘Modi Bhakt’ was attacked by MNS goons. The Mumbaikar was charged for defamation. He had posted a comment criticizing a political leader from MNS and faced the wrath of the MNS workers.

However, instead of criticizing the actions of MNS leader, NDTV journalist Srinivasan Jain compared the actions of the commoner and MNS leaders as similar. He tweeted “Thuggery cannot be answer to Thuggery”. This shows that the journalist is keeping the comment at par with the assault. He portrayed the right to freedom of expression as thuggery when he compared it with the actions of MNS workers. The journalist does not have any reaction to news about the BJP activist and supporters being targeted all over the country. The journalist fails to explain how those who are the victims of such violence are thugs themselves.

The BJP supporters have been the most vulnerable to such violence. Those who have alliances and associations with the Bhartiya Janta Party are also being targeted. The RSS leader Chandrakant Sharma succumbed to his injuries after an attack on him in the Kashmir district of Kishtwar. The security guard of the leader was shot to death while he was saving the leader when militants barged in the hospital.

In Odisha, the BJP Mandal President was shot dead in Kordha on 15^th April by two unidentified bike-borne miscreants near his party office. The matter is going to be investigated further. In the state of Chhattisgarh, recently the BJP MLA from Dhantewada region was killed by the Maoists. The last 7 days have been extremely difficult for the BJP ruling party, which has lost major players in different state.

The situation in the state of Bengal is also not very pleasant. The Mamata Banerjee Government has been asked by the Home Ministry to ensure security during rallies and campaigns. The concern was expressed after the BJP worker was attacked in Bengal after Amit Shah’s rally. Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asked TMC ruling party to take strict actions against the guilty. Last year, a woman BJP supporter was beaten up and kicked by the TMC activists. The ones who are attacked in the state of Bengal are also the ones who were called supporters of “Fascist Dacoit” by the Mamata Banerjee Government. While the West Bengal CM is incapable of protecting the people in her state, she calls BJP a fascist.

The way the supporters are being targeted and killed is chilling. This is not good for the country and the spirit of elections. The violence against the people who make a free choice to support the party should not be tolerated. The need for strict steps against those who target supporters of opposition parties should be taken. The parties accountable of spreading such violence should be questioned. Justice should be delivered to those who suffered.