Opposition targets govt over lynchings

The Opposition on Thursday targeted the government over the lynchings, with the Congress accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “creating such an environment” and indulging in “double speak” on the issue.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha on lynchings, alleged that the prime minister was doing nothing to restrain cow vigilantes who, he said, include elements from the Vishva Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal.

He was participating in a discussion on the “situation arising out of the reported increase in the incidents of lynching and atrocities on minorities and dalits across the country” which started on Wednesday.

Sibal said the year 2017 had witnessed the maximum murders and the cattle ban had negatively impacted leather industry, besides industries like soap and shampoo.

“I am shaken and shattered by the images of grotesque violence and heartwrenching scenes (which) I have seen on social media and Twitter. We did not see it in the last 50 years,” he said.

He went on to question, “What is the sentiment behind it? Why 97 per cent of the violence has taken place after 2017?” Targeting the prime minister, he said it was Modi who had “provoked” such sentiments and quoted his three speeches on October 8, 2015, August 6, 2016 and June 29, 2017.

Sibal said paradoxically in one of the speeches, the PM had said some people were involved in the crime during night and during the day they converted into ‘gaurakshaks’ but no action was taken against such people.