States told to crack down on lynchings, says Rajnath

Since 2015, 65 have been killed in incidents of mob fury

Amid increasing mob lynching incidents across the country, the Centre condemned them in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, with home minister Rajnath Singh saying the government had advised all states to take stringent steps against culprits and asked social media firms to instal checks to stop spread of rumours.

Mr Singh was responding to Congress leader K. C. Venugopal, who raised the issue of increasing lynchings and this week’s attack on social activist Swami Agnivesh in Jharkhand.

Not satisfied with the response, Congress members led by Mallikarjun Kharge staged a walkout. As the minister was speaking, Congress MPs like Mr Venugopal, Mr Kharge and Mr Scindia constantly interrupted him, saying the minister had not mentioned how his own colleagues ( referring to Jayant Sinha’s recent garlanding of persons convicted of lynching a meat trader in Jharkhand) had supported such incidents.

Amid increasing incidents of mob lynching across the country, the Centre on Thursday condemned the recent incidents of mob fury, as home minister Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha that the government has advised states to take stringent action against culprits and asked social media service providers to install checks to stop spread of rumours and fake news.

Mr Singh made a statement in the Lower House during the Zero Hour while responding to Congress leader K. C. Venugopal, who raised the issue of increased lynchings, citing last week's attack on social activist Swami Agnivesh in Jharkhand and trolling of

external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.

Since 2015, according to various reports, 65 persons have been killed in various incidents of mob lynching across the country. Not satisfied, Congress members led by Mallikarjun Kharge staged a walkout expressing their

dissatisfaction.

Prior to this, even as the home minister was replying, several Congress leaders like Mr Venugopal, Mr Kharge and Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia among others, constantly interrupted him, saying that the minister had not mentioned how his own Cabinet colleagues, referring to junior civil aviation minister Jayant Sinha's recent garlanding of persons convicted of lynching a meat trader in Jharkhand, had supported such incidents.

Congress lawmakers could also be heard saying how a Jharkhand Cabinet minister had justified the attack on Swami Agnivesh in Jharkhand's Pakur. They alleged that BJP workers had attacked the social activist.

Mr Singh said several people have been killed in the lynching incidents, adding that it was a matter of grave concern for the government. He said that lynching occurs because of rumours and unverified fake news.

The home minister said the Centre cannot, however, remain silent.