*NEW DELHI – Rising right wing Hindu Extremism has started to engulf India.*
*In a latest episode, An Indian right-wing organisation leader shot at aneffigy of Mahatma Gandhi to mark the death anniversary of modern India’sfounding father. *
The shocking incident, which has drawn widespread outrage and condemnation,took place in Aligarh city of Uttar Pradesh.
Puja Shakun Pandey, who is national secretary of Hindutva organisation‘Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha’, shot at the effigy of Gandhi with a toy gun.
She later garlanded the statue of Nathuram Godse, the assassin who hadtaken the life of Gandhi in Delhi on January 30, 1948.
The day is marked as Martyrs’ Day in India, however, the organisation thatrecreated Gandhi’s assassination called it ‘Bravery Day.’
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Times of India reported Pandey as saying that she had started a newtradition and it was the same as Dussehra festival, in which demon kingRavana’s effigy is burnt.
In a video, which has since then gone viral on social media, Pandey aims atGandhi’s effigy with a toy gun. When she “shoots” at it, a red-colouredliquid can be seen flowing from it.
The effigy was later set on fire while slogans praising Gandhi’s murderercan be heard in the background.
Aligarh police has registered a case against her and tens of unidentifiedpersons under the sections of sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armedwith deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 295 A (Deliberate andmalicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class byinsulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 153 A (promoting enmitybetween different groups) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
