Hindutva Leader Intimidates Students in New Delhi, Sparks Outrage

A video of a senior member of a Hindutva organisation intimidating two college students in New Delhi surfaced, evoking strong reactions from the Opposition parties and civil society. Satyam Pandat is the national president of Rashtriya Hindu Veer Sena, and a supporter of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On Saturday, July 25, Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his post as Education Minister, caving to the immense 36-day-long Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led intense student movement. Jantar Mantar broke into jubilation as the resignation news went viral. The video of Satyam Pandat threatening two college-going students also emerged. He first enquires their names: “ Hindu ho ke mulleh? When he realises both are Hindus, Pandat asks them why they are protesting against the government and starts assaulting them. He asks them to apologise for the protest. The video was widely shared, condemning his actions. Pandat, on Sunday, reacted to the viral video ( click here ), defending his actions, saying the student protest was anti-national and pointed fingers at Hindu gods. “That was not a NEET protest. It was against the nation’s interests. The kids were abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Delhi Police. They pointed fingers at our Hindu gods and the Brahmin community,” Pandat says. He also claims a Delhi Police female officer died in the protest. “If we speak against these atrocities, I am being targeted. I do not care,” he says. But his defence seems not to affect netizens, and they accused him of creating a communally charged atmosphere.