By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Prem Singh, a professor at Delhi University, started a week-long fast against lynching incidents on Jantar-Mantar on June 25, which ended yesterday. Prem Singh also a member of Socialist Party (India) and he teaches Hindi at the University.
The mainstream media largely neglected Prem Singh and his companions who were at the Jantar-Mantar three days after Junaid’s lynching in Delhi-Ballabhgarh EMU express. But social media played its part well, as a result of which many students from neighbouring areas joined the Prem Singh’s movement at various times.
On the last day, many people from social-political-educational-religious organisations came to the venue; farmers-workers-students unions too came to attend; many people came on their own to express solidarity with the cause.
Prem Singh said, “The presence of the youth continued to remain encouraging; they came in large numbers on the seventh day also. Many youths from the nearby cities of Delhi came over after reading the news on social media.”
“If people survive from the mob, it is possible that a part of the life might be spent in jail. If mobocracy continues to grow like this then chances are that political workers will also be targeted, just some writers and intellectuals have been targeted. And governments will stand far apart. Just like they are doing now,” added Singh.
Prem Singh also questioned neo-liberals and pointed at their inability to stop mob-lynching incidents. He said, “Supporters of neo-liberal policies, whether they are leaders or civil society activists, cannot stop mob-lynching. Communalism has been the effective tool of capitalist occupation from the beginning.”
The Socialist Party (India) has demanded immediate arrest of those who lynched Junaid.
Earlier, talking to The Indian Express, Prem Singh said that the ‘Not in my name’ protest is a positive step, but added, “In such events, we forget about towns and villages, which are important.”
Hafiz Junaid, a 16-year-old boy was lynched and stabbed to death when he was returning to his home from Eid shopping. He and his brothers were accused of carrying beef with them, while the police tried to turn the event into a mere case ‘seat dispute’ in the train. Junaid died on the spot, but his brothers Hashim and Sakir still getting treatment in the hospital.