The Bikaner police Saturday said they have “detained” BJP’s former Bikaner minority cell president Usman Gani on charges of “breach of peace”, days after he spoke against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his comments at a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara. Dhirendra Shekhawat, the SHO of Mukta Prasad Nagar police station, said, “Gani reached the police station around noon today (Saturday) after a police vehicle had been sent, as a precautionary measure, to his locality two-three days ago, the day he had issued a statement (against the Prime Minister). He had been in Delhi, and today he came (to the police station) and asked us how dare we send a vehicle to his home.” “We didn’t even know who he is. Thaane ke aagey nakabandi thi, wahan par aake usne police se ulajhne ki koshish ki. Wahan pe isne natak kiya toh band kar diya (there was a blockade outside the police station, where he came and tried to tussle with the police. He did drama there, so we locked him up),” the SHO claimed, adding that the action was taken “under CrPC section 151 for breach of peace”. “He is in the lock up, we will present him before an additional district magistrate (ADM). And to maintain the peace we will bound him down for six months,” the SHO said. The SHO did not explain why a vehicle had been sent to his residence in the first place. However, sub-inspector Radheshyam, also posted at the police station, said, “He (Gani) had made some comment… his video had gone viral so action has been taken under CrPC 151.” Speaking to a News24 journalist, Gani had said that being a Muslim, he was disappointed at what the Prime Minister said. Among other things, Gani had said that when he “goes to Muslims to seek votes” for the BJP, the people of the community ask him for answers on the remarks. Addressing an election rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara on April 21, the PM had said, “Pehle jab unki (Congress’s) sarkar thi, unhone kaha tha ki desh ki sampati par pehla adhikar Musalmano ka hai. Iska matlab, ye sampati ikatthi karke kisko baatenge? Jinke zyada bacche hain, unko baatenge, ghuspaithiyon ko baatenge. Kya aapki mehnat ki kamayi ka paisa ghuspaithiyon ko diya jayega? Aapko manzoor hai yeh? (Earlier, when they (the Congress) was in power, they had said Muslims have the first right to the wealth of the nation. This means they will distribute this wealth to those who have more children, to intruders. Should your hard-earned money be given to infiltrators? Do you agree to this)?” Gani’s remarks had prompted the state BJP’s disciplinary committee chairman Onkar Singh Lakhawat to expel Gani for six years “for breach of discipline”. As per Lakhawat, “An attempt was made to tarnish the image of BJP via electronic media, after which the party took cognizance and found this act of Usman Gani as breach of discipline and expelled him from the party’s primary membership for six years.” Hameed Khan Mewati, state president of BJP’s Minority Morcha, said, “Action will of course be taken against anyone who speaks against the party. Party has taken action against him because he spoke wrong, he crossed the party line.” Gani had been associated with the ABVP and then the BJP for about “15-20 years”. He had also welcomed the PM at Bikaner airport a few months ago, when Modi arrived in the district during the 2023 Assembly elections.
