Rajasthan lynching: Vasundhara Raje faces social media outrage for hinting Zafar Khan’s death wasn’t 'murder'

The lynching of Zafar Khan by municipality employees in Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh area sparked dejection across the nation on social media, but it seems to have gotten overshadowed by the outrage over Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s reaction to the incident. Raje tweeted out the following two days after the incident occurred:

The demise of Zafar Khan ji in Pratapgarh is extremely unfortunate. Investigation is on - justice shall prevail. https://t.co/1V9DmV26KY

— Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) June 18, 2017

She also mentions a tweet by the Udaipur police which states that “scientific evidence doesn’t suggest murder” in the lynching case.

Demise of ZafarKhan is unfortunate. Scientific evidence doesn't suggest murder. Law will take its course @BDUTT @thesuniljain @ShekharGupta

— IG Police Udaipur (@igpoliceudaipur) June 17, 2017

It seems that the Rajasthan minister’s choice of words, considering the sensitivity of the issue, were not taken kindly. With regards to the issue in question,  municipality employees in Pratpargh town beat Zafar Khan to death on Friday when he allegedly tried to stop them from scaring women. The officials were intimidating the women who were defecating in the open by taking their photographs. The incident happened near Bagwasa Kachi Basti area at around 6.30 am. It was then that the middle-aged man intervened. In retaliation, the municipality employees kicked, punched and beat Khan with a stick, which led to his death, according to the FIR lodged by Khan’s elder brother Noor Mohammad. In reaction to the incident and the Raje’s eventual reaction, Twitterati relentlessly questioned why she refuses to acknowledge the lynching. Some of those who took on Raje on Twitter included Congress leaders Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot including several media persons such as Barkha Dutt and Shekhar Gupta.

The CM of #Rajasthan seems to have already reached a conclusion even before an inquiry that #ZafarKhan was not murdered. https://t.co/JjjILy4NPW

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) June 18, 2017

"Demise." When a lawfully elected Chief Minister, sworn to rule based on the Constitution, can't call a murder a murder, it's time to cry https://t.co/YBzvfKBw6i

— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) June 18, 2017

Ma'am he was lynched to death. This was no 'demise'. https://t.co/ik8NuElTFh

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) June 18, 2017

Unfortunate sudden demise. He was walking along in the morning when he suddenly saw a cow, said BMJK, collapsed and died. https://t.co/Q4X9aOB2ek

— PKR | প্রশান্ত | پرشانتو (@prasanto) June 18, 2017

He didn't just drop dead on a morning walk! Died as a result of lynching by Govt officials!! Arrest Nagar Parishad Commissioner Ashok Jain https://t.co/kmDeNYBtFD

— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) June 18, 2017

How to drown a real human tragedy in meaningless bureaucratese (and pretend one has done the right thing.) https://t.co/6zsYRiW39X

— Sidharth Bhatia (@bombaywallah) June 18, 2017

There Fixed it for @VasundharaBJP
The Murder of Zafar Khan ji in Pratapgarh is Murder.
And, we will bring the criminals to justice. https://t.co/fIlOi8DqcO

— Harini Calamur (@calamur) June 18, 2017

Ma'am I think the word you are looking for is 'murder'.. And there have been a spate of such murders in your state.. https://t.co/yqLpssUGH8

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) June 18, 2017

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot condemned Khan’s killing a day after the incident itself, saying that the unfortunate and condemnable. After Raje’s comment, he tweeted:

"Killed"would have been far too appropriate a word to use for theCM.And going by previous lynching instances,justice is unlikely to prevail https://t.co/eQiMGfaICU

— Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) June 18, 2017

According to PTI, he demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter and strict action against the responsible employees and officers. Pilot also said that people are forced to construct toilets without releasing of funds for the purpose in the BJP-ruled state. Noor has lodged a complaint against Kamal Harijan, Ritesh Harijan, Manish Harijan, Nagar Parishad commissioner Ashok Jain and others following police have registered a case of murder, Pratapgarh Kotwali police said. With regards to the case, Khan’s sister has lodged a complaint against Kamal Harijan, Ritesh Harijan, Manish Harijan and Nagar Parishad commissioner Ashok Jain, Pratapgarh Kotwali police said. Pratapgarh Superintendent of Police, Shivraj Meena said to PTI on Friday that, “We are getting the matter investigated and a case has been registered against four named accused in the FIR”. With inputs from agencies.