Junior minister in Narendra Modi government has a murky past

[Swashbuckler]

Sarangi, who has been hailed as 'Odisha's Modi' and BJP's 'aam aadmi', headed the Bajrang Dal in the state when Graham Staines and his two young sons were burnt alive

When Pratap Chandra Sarangi, a BJP MP from Balasore Odisha, took oath on Thursday to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, he received “thunderous applause” from the crowd that had gathered at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the swearing-in ceremony.

After Sarangi’s victory, and especially after the response he received on Thursday, multiple media reports (Read here, here and here) had described him as a bachelor who leads a “simple life” in a “humble house”.

Few of them, however, mentioned that he was the state unit chief of the Bajrang Dal in 1999, when Graham Staines, an Australian Christian Missionary, and his two minor children were burnt alive by activists of the right-wing outfit in the village of Manoharpur-Keonjhar.

Staines and his sons, aged 10 and 6, were murdered by a mob for allegedly forcible converting Hindus in the area.

While prime accused Dara Singh, a member of the Bajrang Dal, and his aide Mahendra Hembram are serving life sentences, Sarangi was never even questioned in the case.

A 2003 report in Frontline says that a commission appointed by the central government had not even examined the role of the Bajrang Dal because it was not an illegal organisation, suggesting that legal organisations could not plan or carry out such heinous crimes.

Sarangi, the report said, had denied the involvement of Bajrang Dal activists in the incident and had not even been cross-examined.

Sarangi, who has also been a part of the VHP, was also involved in an attack on the Odisha Assembly in 2002. He was arrested along with 66 others on charges of arson, rioting and damage to government property

According to his affidavit, Sarangi has 10 criminal cases against him, even thought he has never been convicted in any of them.

None of this information has made it to the fawning articles written about his simplicity.

PTI reported that Sarangi has created a social media buzz because he lives in a thatched house and bathes in the village well. He reportedly depended on party members and rode in auto rickshaws to campaign in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Sarangi was elected to Odisha Assembly twice in 2004 and 2009 from Nilagiri constituency in Balasore district. He had also contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Balasore constituency but was defeated.

Sarangi now holds two portfolios—he is Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises as well as Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries.

He may or may not be innocent but the charges are serious. Nauseating to see the way the media has been trying to whitewash his past and paint a sympathetic picture, as a man of humble origins. Many Indian citizens with such charges spend years as undertrials in our jails, they are never given the benefit of doubt. Even if they are declared innocent after 20 years of suffering, they continue to carry a stigma in the society. Here we have the ruling party effortlessly normalizing such a man and giving him great positions of power. The double standards are sickening, if concerned citizens question the chosen ones, they will be branded anti-national, jihadi, Pakistani, Urban Naxal, Dravidian extremist, Khalistani and what not.

The media too shares a great deal of blame, as does our society. First Pragya Thakur and now him.

Normalize Advani and you will get a Modi
Normalize Modi and you will get a Yogi
Normalize Yogi and you will get a Sakshi Maharaj
Normalize Sakshi Maharaj and you will get Pragyas and Sarangis
Normalize Pragyas and Sarangis, you will get________

5 years ago it was impossible to imagine a man like Yogi would be CM of India's largest state and Pragya Thakur an MP. I shudder to think what will happen 20 years from now.

Winter is coming, enemies of the idea of India have to be stopped else we put our future generations at risk.

 

[Swashbuckler]

I forgot to add the link in my first post, so here it is https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/pratap-sarangi-minister-odisha-graham-staines-bajrang-dal_in_5cf0e08be4b0a1997b683fd8

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dara Singh of Bajrang Dal had burnt alive Graham Staine & his two minor sons in 1999 in the middle of night while they were sleeping inside a Jeep- His coordinator was Pratap Sarangi, who is now Modi’s only minister from Odisha! <a href="https://t.co/mYzAbkHhSn">https://t.co/mYzAbkHhSn</a></p>— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashoswai/status/1134345051331600384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">New Union Minister in Modi's cabinet, Pratap Sarangi was Bajrang Dal chief when missionary Graham Staines and his children were burnt alive. Sarangi propagated the evil designs of the Catholic church and instigated the attacks. <a href="https://t.co/qkheujKC6w">https://t.co/qkheujKC6w</a></p>— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) <a href="https://twitter.com/RanaAyyub/status/1134433256089247744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Most people may have forgotten, but new Union minister Sarangi was Odisha coordinator of the Bajrang Dal when Graham Staines and his two kids were burned alive two decades ago<br><br>(cc <a href="https://twitter.com/Rubenbanerjee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Rubenbanerjee</a>) <a href="https://t.co/ZPLEkwUYN5">https://t.co/ZPLEkwUYN5</a></p>— Mihir Sharma (@mihirssharma) <a href="https://twitter.com/mihirssharma/status/1134308130379067392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BBC has done what India’s media houses refused to do: revealed Sarangi’s past. Hope the Australian High Commission sees this & spares a thought for Graham Staines & his two little boys who were burnt alive by Bajrang Dal goons. Head goon is now a member of Modi’s creepy cabinet. <a href="https://t.co/LRsWg1oHsQ">https://t.co/LRsWg1oHsQ</a></p>— Rupa Gulab (@rupagulab) <a href="https://twitter.com/rupagulab/status/1134434161358278656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Graham Staines and his two kids were burned alive two decades ago by Bajrang Dal in Odisha. The man who was Odisha Bajrang Dal coordinator then is now Union Minister of India. <br>His name is PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI. <br>Sanghi folks call him Odisha's Modi. <br><br>Sab Ka Vishwas RIP!</p>— Arun Shourie ᶠᵃⁿ (@FeignShourie) <a href="https://twitter.com/FeignShourie/status/1134341245013118977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Commission...simply accepted the testimony of the State coordinator of the Bajrang Dal, Pratap Chandra Sarangi, in which he denied any Bajrang Dal role in the killings, without cross-examining him. # Murder of Graham Staines <a href="https://t.co/N6hnC8JBmt">https://t.co/N6hnC8JBmt</a></p>— N S (@nandinisundar) <a href="https://twitter.com/nandinisundar/status/1134313873656373248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Media ignorance or obfuscation? Let's discuss Pratap <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sarangi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sarangi</a>'s simplicity and humble background. Let's not discuss his Bajrang Dal background, his connection to Dara Singh, to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Staines?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Staines</a> murder.<br>Never. How anti-national would that discussion be? Let's stick to the rickshaw.</p>— ranjona banerji (@ranjona) <a href="https://twitter.com/ranjona/status/1134316742367256577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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[CricketCartoons]

Winter is coming, enemies of the idea of India have to be stopped else we put our future generations at risk.

What is the idea of India?

 

[cricketjoshila]

When will these leftist media coordinators learn. People simply do not care about their lies any more. As Barkha lamented the other day, MSM can no longer influence voters anymore.

The Wire NDTV and BBC come out with the same propoganda article againist Sarangi.

Then the cabal with the usual Swain Sundar Rana Ayub and co. Further the propoganda.

Problem is his fight againist liquor mafia and his opening Ekal Vidyalayas in Odisha which not only give education to tribals and poor people but also report illegal conversion by missionaries.

 

[Swashbuckler]

[MENTION=147527]MP2011[/MENTION] look at how the standards have fallen in this country. ****** are defending this move, many even glorifying such characters as if they are saints. Media is badly failing in its job, I will also blame the opposition that is not doing its duty of questioning the government. So much fake news and historical revisionism, at this rate Godse will indeed become father of the nation by the end of BJP's current term.

 

[CricketCartoons]

[MENTION=147527]MP2011[/MENTION] look at how the standards have fallen in this country. ****** are defending this move, many even glorifying such characters as if they are saints. Media is badly failing in its job, I will also blame the opposition that is not doing its duty of questioning the government. So much fake news and historical revisionism, at this rate Godse will indeed become father of the nation by the end of BJP's current term.

standards have not fallen. They are being maintained. indian judiciary is rotten and has never delivered timely justice. people with murky pasts have been elected in the past, just that millennials are ignorant about indian history post independence.

Again, what is the idea of india?

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

[MENTION=147527]MP2011[/MENTION] look at how the standards have fallen in this country. ****** are defending this move, many even glorifying such characters as if they are saints. Media is badly failing in its job, I will also blame the opposition that is not doing its duty of questioning the government. So much fake news and historical revisionism, at this rate Godse will indeed become father of the nation by the end of BJP's current term.

15 or 20 years down the line, people are going to look back at all those whom they defended and feel really ashamed.

Modi
Shah
Pragya
Sakshi Maharaj
Yogi
Sarangi

What a stellar cast.

----

Things will change.

All this is the result of the neglect and poor management of the opposition. The day they start caring about people, developing strong leaders and fighting every constituency tooth and nail....this will change.

If they don't do it.....well, I shudder to think what will happen.

Regret ain't gonna save India by then.

 

[shaaik]

Things will change.

All this is the result of the neglect and poor management of the opposition. The day they start caring about people, developing strong leaders and fighting every constituency tooth and nail....this will change.

If they don't do it.....well, I shudder to think what will happen.

Regret ain't gonna save India by then.[/QUOTE]

I can't see it happening any time sooner ... though you people can hope but as long as Modi is around , I dont see bjp going anywhere. Congress has too big a task in their hand and I expect them to fail every time they encounter Modi led BJP ..

 

[RanveerSingh]

15 or 20 years down the line, people are going to look back at all those whom they defended and feel really ashamed.

Modi
Shah
Pragya
Sakshi Maharaj
Yogi
Sarangi

What a stellar cast.

----

Things will change.

All this is the result of the neglect and poor management of the opposition. The day they start caring about people, developing strong leaders and fighting every constituency tooth and nail....this will change.

If they don't do it.....well, I shudder to think what will happen.

Regret ain't gonna save India by then.

Modi-Shah has created this amazing marketing team which can sell anything to Indians and they will buy it without questioning. During demonetization they made people stand in lines and people cheered it as they thought they are doing it for nation. Pulwama attack and the 26-27th Feb Incidents were showed as modi achievements during elections and people bought it. When you lose 1 Aircraft, 1 of your pilot is captured and you shoot down your own Helicopter but still you made public to believe that India won this episode. Thats some seriously good Marketing. Also made Indians to believe 350 terrorist killed and shoot down one F16.

 

[MP2011]

[MENTION=147527]MP2011[/MENTION] look at how the standards have fallen in this country. ****** are defending this move, many even glorifying such characters as if they are saints. Media is badly failing in its job, I will also blame the opposition that is not doing its duty of questioning the government. So much fake news and historical revisionism, at this rate Godse will indeed become father of the nation by the end of BJP's current term.

Swashbuckler,

Our standards had fallen to gutter on 16-May, 2014 itself. Can we go any lower? ******, well what one can say about them? They'll defend anything and everything. Also, when this govt is led by rioters and murderers who got thousands killed under their watch, this Sarangi guy is nothing.

 

[MP2011]

Modi-Shah has created this amazing marketing team which can sell anything to Indians and they will buy it without questioning. During demonetization they made people stand in lines and people cheered it as they thought they are doing it for nation. Pulwama attack and the 26-27th Feb Incidents were showed as modi achievements during elections and people bought it. When you lose 1 Aircraft, 1 of your pilot is captured and you shoot down your own Helicopter but still you made public to believe that India won this episode. Thats some seriously good Marketing. Also made Indians to believe 350 terrorist killed and shoot down one F16.

This! Current dispensation has plethora of people who are marketeers and liars par excellence. I mean 56" should've been crucified and hauled over coals after what happened in Feb-19 and here we've him bestowed with even greater majority, I mean 10% more fools opting for him as compared to last elections! Is this a joke or what? No wonder Indian electorate is the most gullible ever in the history of democratic world.