I appealed to them to speak to me but they didn't listen: Swami Agnivesh over mob attack

ANI photo

Pakur: Social activist Swami Agnivesh, who was allegedly thrashed by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers in Jharkhand's Pakur, said that despite his appeal to hold peaceful talks, the mob did not listen to him.

"Supreme Court gave a strong verdict on mob lynching. But at the time verdict was being delivered, I was being attacked by a mob. I appealed to them (mob) to speak to me but they didn't listen," Swami Agnivesh told news agency ANI.

Swami Agnivesh was allegedly beaten up for his 'anti-Hindu' stance on Tuesday. He was in Pakur to attend an event in Littipara of the district. Chief Minister Raghubar Das ordered a probe into the matter immediately after the attack.

"As soon as I came out of the venue, BJYM and ABVP activists attacked me without any provocation. They alleged that I was speaking against Hindus," he said. "I thought Jharkhand was a peaceful state, but my views have changed after this incident," Swami Agnivesh had said soon after the incident. 

Videos of the alleged attack show a large crowd beating him and his supporters. The attackers first shouted slogans and showed black flags and later thrashed him even as he fell on the ground and his aides did their best to protect him. The police reportedly detained 20 attackers.