What a good samaritan lynched in Rajasthan by municipal officials says about us

In a bizarre case of mindless violence, 55-year-old Zafar Hussein lost his life following a gruesome physical assault on him on June 16 in Rajasthan.

This was a murder most foul bereft of any provocation. The tragedy happened in Pratapgarh in the state, which had recently made news for the lynching of Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer alleged to be a cow smuggler.

It could possibly be a coincidence that both victims were Muslims but it's equally likely that they were targeted only because they were Muslims. Both, however, died under different circumstances. 

The recent case happened when Zafar, a CPI (ML) activist, noticed a group of civic officials taking photographs of some women who were relieving themselves in the open.

It’s common knowledge in Rajasthan, or more specifically in Alwar, that women, ostensibly due to lack of sanitation facilities, defecate in the open despite the hyped Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Most likely as a good samaritan, or as a person conscious of the privacy of the women, Zafar objected to the photos being taken by the municipal officials - an act of goodness that proved costly for him.

Family members of the diseased say Zafar was beaten on his head repeatedly by a stone by the group of civic officials, amid cries of “mar dalo saley ko”.  

The government officials, who were on a mission to stop the nuisance of open defecation by shaming the women instead of building toilets, have chosen to keep the photographs as documentary evidence to proceed against the offenders.

This despite the women being no criminal offenders. They were compelled to relieve themselves in the open due to lack of facilities at home.

According to preliminary reports, Zafar was mercilessly kicked, punched and beaten to death by the municipal officers, who were probably enraged about him daring to object to the photography and challenging their authority. The police have commenced the investigation and forensic reports are awaited. 

Meanwhile, the CPI (ML) has shared a letter believed to have been written by Zafar, wherein he had elaborated that women in the vicinity were allegedly harassed by civic officers who often chased those defecating in the open, or took away their water mugs or abused them.

Now, while there is no evidence about these allegation, knowing the mindset of the local officials, who have scant respect for women, one is inclined to accept that the allegations are true. 

What an unfortunate case! Whistleblowers keep getting killed for exposing scams, and crusaders are killed when they try to talk sense.

Even if we assume that the women were being defiant, some senior and responsible members of the panchayat or neutral and non-controversial political or social figures could have possibly been involved to persuade the erring women to refrain from answering the nature's call in public.  

Also, the civic officials have charged that Zafar had once turned violent, but if the situation was so bad then why weren’t the police involved? The police have come to play their role only after an FIR was lodged and also because the perpetrators are government officials who must have got a case filed against Zafar for obstructing government employees from discharging their duties.

Sadly, the police were not utilised as a deterrent for unexplained reasons. Had they been effectively pressed into service, a good samaritan would not have needlessly been killed. 

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is PM Narendra Modi’s pet project. Every Indian also pays a cess for the cleanliness drive. But this unfortunate case has proved that the mechanics of imposition of laws and regulations against defecation in public are half-hearted, clueless and a clear defiance of the PM's directives.

Let this incident be apolitical and non-communal. Given the surcharged communal atmosphere in the country with the society deeply divided, it would be prudent on the part of the Rajasthan administration to brief its civic officials rather thoroughly so that such incidents do not recur. The state has to also ensure that this social commitment is fulfilled without any use of force, let alone loss of lives. 

The society nowadays is afflicted with impatience and intolerance. Such intolerance is manifested in road rage killings, lynchings and physical spats and we are sadly seeing no calming effects. The self-styled gurus and sadhus who are teaching art of living at the cost of the environment, are expected to come forward and sensitise society against social ills.

No such initiative is in sight. Frankly, the government alone can't undertake such tasks. The civil and religious society must step in and that too immediately or else more Zafars will lose lives for nothing. 

Lastly, with this issue other good samaritans may feel discouraged when we actually need more such people. It would perhaps augur well if such people are accorded recognition for their efforts.

Also read: Normalising mob mentality and allowing vigilantes to do dirty work will ruin this country