Gurugram Muslim man assault case: Gautam Gambhir terms incident 'deplorable', demands 'exemplary' action

New Delhi: Newly elected East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir Monday termed as “deplorable” the alleged assault on a Muslim man in Gurugram and asked authorities to take “exemplary” action in the matter. His comments, however, did not go down well among a few of his partymen in Delhi who said the words of the cricketer-turned-politician may be used against the BJP by the opposition parties. A 25-year-old Muslim man was allegedly slapped by a group of men in Gurugram on 25 May. The victim was reportedly asked to remove his skull cap and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

“In Gurugram Muslim man told to remove skullcap,chant Jai Shri Ram”.
It is deplorable. Exemplary action needed by Gurugram authorities. We are a secular nation where @Javedakhtarjadu writes “ओ पालन हारे, निर्गुण और न्यारे” & @RakeyshOmMehra gave us d song “अर्ज़ियाँ” in Delhi 6.

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) May 27, 2019

However, a section of Delhi BJP leaders expressed their reservation over the tweet and said Gambhir’s words may be used against the saffron party. “Gambhir is no longer a cricketer and he should realise that his words and actions will be seen through the prism of politics. “Nobody likes such incidents but what is the use of commenting on an incident in Haryana which may be used against the BJP by other parties,” said a senior Delhi BJP leader. However, Gambhir said his secularism emanated from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s philosophy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and added that any oppression based on caste or religion is deplorable.

My thoughts on secularism emanate from honourable PM Mr Modi’s mantra “सबका साथ, सबका विकास, सब का विश्वास”. I am not limiting myself to Gurugram incident alone, any oppression based on caste/religion is deplorable. Tolerance & inclusive growth is what idea of India is based on.

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) May 27, 2019

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Gambhir who joined the BJP before the recent Lok Sabha polls, contested from East Delhi seat and defeated Congress’s Arvinder Singh Lovely by 3.91 lakh votes. The Muslim man identified as Mohamad Baker Alam alleged in his complaint to the police that four unidentified youths accosted him in a lane in Sadar Bazar area of the city and objected to his wearing the skull cap. “They removed my cap and slapped me, while asking me to chant Bharat Mata ki Jai. As I followed their instruction and chanted Bharat Mata ki Jai, they asked me to chant Jai Sri Ram which I refused. At this, the youths picked up sticks and began mercilessly beating me,” he said in his complaint.