Jammu and Kashmir MLA Abdul Rashid Sheikh’s face was blackened by few activists, allegedly belonging to a right-wing organisation, at Press Club in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI Photo )
A property dealer and a construction businessman form the two attackers arrested by the Delhi Police for throwing ink on MLA Engineer Rashid at Press Club premises on Monday. They were later granted bail by special executive magistrate on Wednesday. Devendra Upadhya (33) and Deepak Sharma (30) have their allegiance to the Hindu Sena — the organisation which led the attacks.
Deepak Sharma is the founder member of Hindu Sena, which was formed in 2011. Sharma, who is a post-graduate in interior designing, also owns a construction business in Delhi NCR, says that he dedicates his full time to the workings of Hindu Sena.
He has been a part of all of its protests. In the past he has protested against SP leader Azam Khan against religious conversions in Rampur, UP. He was also part of a protest in Jantar Mantar after Saharanpur police inspector was rammed by a trailer truck after he tried to stop them. The rumors were that the truck was carrying cows.
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The Hindu Sena has said that they will protest against anyone who disrespects the cow.
Sharma is unmarried and stays in Ghaziabad. He says that he got to know about Rashid’s conference with his colleagues and rushed to the spot. “He had thrown a beef party and publicised it. We had decided to do something about it in advance,” he says. He had gathered at the press club along with his friends and arranged for ink. Asked what triggered his response against Rashid, he says, “We don’t have any problem when these people eat beef. How will we come to know when they ate and how they ate? They publicise it and tease us.”
For Devendra Upadhyay it has not been a very long association with the Hindu Sena. He is a property dealer and stays in Patel Nagar with his wife and three kids. He says that he has been associated with the Sena for the last seven months. In the past he has protested against the Akhilesh Yadav government for playing appeasement politics after the Dadri lynching and has ignored Hindus.
He says that he has joined the Sena to protect the interest of Hindus. Regarding the incident he says that he is “not sorry” for his actions. He says that a few Muslims provoke people in the name of eating beef. “This is not a question of what is being cooked at your kitchen. We have no business knowing that, but if media is called and the beef eating party is popularised then you are hurting the sentiments of the Hindus,” he says.
After leaving his studies at the age of 15, he started working to support his family. Upadhyay started his own business five years ago.
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