BJP's reaction to the attack on Swami Agnivesh has a message for lynch mobs

Through its penchant for blaming the victim, a clear signal has been sent to lynch mobs that their cause would be championed by the government

The premeditated attack on Swami Agnivesh in Pakur in the state of Jharkhand by an organised mob came within hours of the Supreme Court judgment calling mob lynching unacceptable and holding local administration, state and central governments responsible for preventing it.

Agnivesh was there on the invitation of a Paharia tribal organisation. The youth front affiliated with the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh – the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha – had announced that it would show black flags to him. Its leaders accepted that they had planned to do so as Agnivesh justified eating