After Garlanding Lynching Convicts, Jayant Sinha Says 'Honouring Due Process Of Law' Only

On the other hand Alimuddin's wife, Maryam Khatun, said she will move the Supreme Court against the bail order.

Updated on: 7 July 2018 2:51 pm

After stirring a row by felicitating and garlanding men convicted in Jharkhand lynching case, Union Minister Jayant Sinha on Saturday issued a number of tweets about the incident. Sinha said that he was merely "honouring due process of law". He also said that he "unequivocally condemn(s) all acts of violence and reject(s) any type of vigilantism"

I unequivocally condemn all acts of violence and reject any type of vigilantism. The rule of law is supreme in our constitutional democracy. Any unlawful acts, particularly those that violate the rights of any citizen, should be punished with the full force of the law.
— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) July 7, 2018

In the Ramgarh case, the Hon'ble Ranchi High Court, which is the first court of appeal, has suspended the sentence of the accused and released them on bail while admitting their case. The case will once again be re-heard.
— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) July 7, 2018

I have full faith in our judicial system and the rule of law. Unfortunately, irresponsible statements are being made about my actions when all that I am doing is honoring the due process of law. Those that are innocent will be spared and the guilty will be appropriately punished.
— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) July 7, 2018

I have repeatedly expressed my misgivings about the Fast-Track Court judgement sentencing each accused to life imprisonment. I am pleased that the Hon'ble High Court will hear the matter as a statutory court of appeal to test the correctness of the Fast-Track Court order.
— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) July 7, 2018

Eleven people, including a BJP worker were convicted by a Jharkhand Fast Track court on March 16 in the Alimuddin lynching case. Alimuddin Ansari was lynched to death in Ramgarh on June 29 last year on the suspicion that he was carrying beef. However, last week, Jharkhand High Court suspended the life sentence of eight persons, including the BJP functionary, and they were granted bail by the court on Thursday .

After walking out of the Jai Prakash Narain Central Jail, the released men headed straight to the residence of Sinha, where the minister garlanded them. The convicts were led by local BJP leader Amardeep Yadav, who is also the OBC Morcha president of the party, reported News18.

Sinha was vehemntly criticized by political adversaries and people on social media, after the pictures had started to circulate on the internet.

Leader of Opposition, Jharkhand , Hemant Soren, tweeted, terming Sinha's act as "despicable" for "felicitating the accused" in lynchings

This is truly despicable. @Harvard Your alumnus @jayantsinha felicitating the accused in cow related lynching death in India. Is this what @Harvard stands for? https://t.co/DJh8XRtoXl
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) July 6, 2018

Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of CPI(M), also attacked Sinha on twitter, accusing him of patronising the lynching convicts.

We don’t need to look far to see who or which ideology is tearing our social fabric apart: when union ministers patronise those convicted of lynching. #PoliticsOfHate
https://t.co/VA8FwtJ9QQ
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) July 6, 2018

On the other hand Alimuddin's wife, Maryam Khatun, said she will move the Supreme Court against the bail order.

Jayant Sinha is the son of Yashwant Sinha, who was a former Finance and External Affairs minister in Vajpayee led NDA I.

Currently, the elder Sinha has turned into a vehement critic of the Modi regime accusing it of putting "democracy in danger" and "undermining democratic institutions". In January, he had launched Rashtra Manch to take on the Centre. He quit the BJP in April.