PM Modi's popularity rising, lynchings done to defame him: BJP's Meghwal
New Delhi: Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Saturday made a bizarre link between PM Modi's popularity, elections, and cases of mob killings suggesting that lynching incidents are a conspiracy to defame BJP and the central government ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Meghwal said, “The more popular Modi Ji becomes, the more such incidents will happen. During Bihar elections, it was ‘award wapsi’; in Uttar Pradesh, it was mob lynching. For 2019 elections, it will be something else. PM Modi gave several schemes, their effects can be seen, this (lynching) incident is just one reaction to it.”
This reaction of the minister came to the killing of a Muslim man, Rakbar Khan, who was lynched by a mob in Alwar over cow smuggling rumours late on Friday.
Terming anti-Sikh riots of 1984 as the ‘biggest mob lynching case’ in India, Meghwal said, “We condemn mob lynching but this isn’t a single incident. You have to trace this back in history. Why does this happen? Who should stop this? What happened with Sikhs in 1984 was the biggest mob lynching of this nation’s history.”
Meghwal asked people to think about the root cause of such kind of violence.
Supreme Court has criticised state and the central government over the increasing mob lynching incidents in India. It also asked the Parliament to come up with a law to tackle “horrendous acts of mobocracy”.
The latest incident was reported hours after PM Modi in his speech in Lok Sabha said that these incidents of violence are against the basic principle of humanity and urged the state governments to take strict actions.
However, Opposition slammed BJP for the rising number of mob violence, lynching incidents.
Sachin Pilot tweeted:
Saddened by news of a man beaten to death in Alwar. Killing of people on "suspicion" is sadly becoming a norm in BJP ruled states.
— Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) July 21, 2018
The Home Minister's words in Parliament about state governments responsibility in stopping mob lynching seem even more hollow now. https://t.co/MLcS5lAo3n
Ashok Gehlot, Congress general secretary termed these incidents as “horrific”.
Most shocking, horrific and unfortunate incident… A man was lynched by mob in #Alwar #Rajasthan despite hon'ble Supreme Court’s warnings and instructions. I condemn the killing of #AkbarKhan in strongest words.#AlwarLynching
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) July 21, 2018
#Rajasthan government has failed to check such heinous crimes despite the recent Supreme Court judgement. For BJP, human life has no value. Criminals guised as vigilantes are roaming freely with out fear of law n order. #Alwar #AlwarLynching
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) July 21, 2018
The PM remains silent on such cases of #lynchings n the State CM orders customary inquiries, wherein actual accused are hardly arrested or punished.#Alwar #AlwarLynching
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) July 21, 2018
Underlining the inaction by the government that has forced people to take law and order in their hands, Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "Is this how you will protect people those who continue with such hate crimes in the belief that the government will continue to support them."
