NEW DELHI: The BJP's Gautam Gambhir has come out strongly against the attack on a man in Gurgaon by a gang that knocked off his skull cap and demanded that he chant "Jai Shri Ram".
Gautam Gambhir, a former cricketer who has won the national election from East Delhi, called for "exemplary action" in a tweet this morning, asserting that "we are a secular nation".
"'In Gurugram Muslim man told to remove skullcap, chant Jai Shri Ram'. It is deplorable. Exemplary action needed by Gurugram authorities. We are a secular nation where @Javedakhtarjadu writes "ओ पालन हारे, निर्गुण और न्यारे" & @RakeyshOmMehra gave us d song "अर्ज़ियाँ" in Delhi 6," posted Gautam Gambhir.
A 25-year-old man has alleged that on Saturday night, he was attacked and then forced to say "Jai Shri Ram" while on his way home after offering namaz at a mosque.
Mohammed Barakat Alam said he was set upon by a gang of four to five people who knocked off his skullcap and ordered him to chant "Jai Shri Ram". He alleged that he was manhandled when he refused.
"I was returning from namaz when a man came up to me and told me I was not allowed to wear my cap. I refused to remove it but then he hit the back of my head and removed it and started cursing me," he told NDTV.
He alleged that he appealed for help but no one came forward. "Then they asked me to say "Jai Shri Ram". I said, 'why should I?' and then they started hitting me and tearing my kurta," he added.
He said the accused then escaped, most of them on motorcycles. A police case has been filed. The accused are yet to be identified.