BJP leader gives false communal spin to domestic violence case in Pak, media follows suit

by Pooja Chaudhuri

A video of a woman being dragged by a group of men who can be heard saying, “Put her in the car,” was shared by BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa claiming that a Hindu woman was abducted outside a session court in Umarkot, Sindh-Pakistan.

Republic World carried a report based on Upadhyay’s tweet. “This happened yesterday when a married woman, 19 years old, from the Meghwal SC community of Sindh, was forcefully raped and married to another married man,” Sirsa told the channel on a telephonic conversation. It must be noted that the Meghwal community is predominately Hindu. Sirsa also claimed that the woman was converted to Islam and her husband’s name is ‘Bhai Khan’.

Times Now, Hindustan Times and One India Hindi also reported on the video based on Sirsa’s tweet.

BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay further amplified the video.

It was also shared by BJP supporters with the same claim – @TrulyMonica and @RashmiDVS.

False communal spin

Lal Malhi, a member of the national assembly of Pakistan, tweeted that the incident took place in his hometown Umerkot and the woman belonged to the tribal Bheel community. He said that she was dragged by her relatives, who also hailed from the Bheel community, because she wanted to divorce her husband.

The incident was reported in Pakistani media. According to Dawn, “Tejhan Bheel, 40, told reporters that she had moved the civil court to seek dissolution of marriage with Herchand Bheel, resident of Vehro Sharif, as she could no more tolerate domestic violence.” She was assaulted by eight persons, including her husband, and the police have arrested one of the accused, Hemo Bheel.

Alt News spoke with A B Arisar, correspondent Daily Dawn Umerkot Sindh Pakistan, who confirmed that the woman and the accused hailed from the Bheel community. He informed us that according to the FIR filed in the case, “Tejhan, 40, wife of Herchand Bheel resident of Vehro Sharif, had an altercation with her spouse, therefore she approached the civil court in Umerkot for dissolution of their marriage. On Monday, when she was returning back home, after attending the hearing of a case, she was attacked by eight persons who dragged her on a road, pulled her hair and humiliated her. They attempted to kidnap her. She cried for help and as a result, the police rushed to the site and saved her. All the accused managed to flee, except one Hemo Bheel. He was arrested by the police. Later, Tejhan’s relative Mangal Bheel lodged an FIR at Umerkot police station against eight persons identified as Hemo, Bhanji, Pehlaj, Somji, Ghaman, Togo, Jaipal Thakur and Herchand Bheel, her husband.”

A case of domestic violence was given a false communal spin by BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa. Several media outlets, without verifying the facts of the case, also reported that a Hindu woman was abducted in broad daylight by Muslims in Pakistan. Both the woman and the perpetrators hailed from the tribal Bheel community.

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About the Author

Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News.