CM orders probe into Sena MPs force-feeding a Muslim on fast - Times of India

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: As reports of 11 Shiv Sena MPs forcing a Muslim catering supervisor at New Delhi's Maharashtra Sadan to eat roti during his Ramzan fast sparked nationwide outrage on Wednesday, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan ordered a probe into the incident by state chief secretary J S Saharia.

A video surfaced on Wednesday of Sena MP from Thane Rajan Vichare force-feeding the caterer, Arshad Zubair S, on July 17, the day a group of Sena MPs had gone to the Sadan to protest against the "sub-standard food" there. The Railways' subsidiary, IRCTC, which does catering at the Sadan, had immediately stopped operations in protest and complained to State Resident Commissioner Bipin Mallick, who has administrative control of the Sadan.

Questions are now being raised about why no action was taken for five days and why the incident came to light so late though the Sena delegation that visited the Sadan was accompanied by some mediapersons.

Prominent citizens, both Muslim and non-Muslim, condemned the Sena's action. Actor Amol Palekar said the MPs' behaviour was "consistent" with the Sena's political philosophy, and Jamiatul Ulema-e-Hind, the leading organization of Muslim clerics, called the incident "shocking". There was uproar in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, with Opposition MPs calling for "strict action" and demanding that Parliament condemn the "anti-secular act".

There was, however, no word of censure from the Modi government. L K Advani was the sole BJP leader to condemn the incident.

The Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut initially denied the incident. After the video footage emerged, Vichare said he did not know the caterer was a Muslim, and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said the party did not intend to hurt religious sentiments.

The MPs, if booked, could face action under the IPC for promoting enmity between groups, intentional insult intended to provoke breach of peace and criminal intimidation and could get up to three years in jail. Even if they claim they did not know the caterer was Muslim, they could attract Section 504 of the IPC related to breach of peace.

Apart from ordering a probe, the CM also said the contract given to the catering firm had been cancelled in view of complaints from MPs over poor quality of food and dismal maintenance of the state guest house.

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