The BJP-led Indian government found itself isolated in the Lok Sabha when the opposition, led by Congress, accused it of trying to turn “Hindustan” into “Lynchistan”.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said atrocities against Muslims and Dalits had increased in the name of cow protection, and the aggressors were backed by Bajrang Dal, VHP and BJP legislators.
He said there was an atmosphere of fear in the country, and questioned the sincerity of the PM’s comments against mob violence. “It is being done so that your ideology and philosophy can be established in the country,” Kharge alleged.
In response, BJP, through MP Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, questioned the claims about lynchings, stating they had been happening for many years and pointed fingers at Congress.
The party said the “terrorist acts” were being perpetrated to defame the Modi government. Yadav quoted socialist mascot Ram Manohar Lohia to say “Muslims are former Hindus”.
He said Muslims should respect Hindus’ sentiments and since their ancestors were Hindu, they should own the Hindu gods and the Indian civilisation. “If they turned Muslims for some reasons, they should have respect for them,” he said, adding that Hindus, too, should respect the sentiments of Muslims.
Yadav said that under the earlier RJD government in Bihar, separate roads had to be constructed for Hindu processions because of a community’s objections. “To stop someone’s cultural procession, is it less than mob lynching?” The MP spoke about objections among minorities to the singing of Vande Mataram, calling it a bigger crime than mob lynching. He also referred to the apology forced from a JD(U) Muslim minister in Bihar for saying “Jai Shriram”.
Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy sought a separate “human protection law” to deal with incidents of lynching. “The government keeps saying it wants Congress-free India, I want to ask, do you want to make a Muslim-free India as well,” Roy said, provoking protests from BJP members.
LJP leader and food minister Ram Vilas Paswan said lynching is also poisonous for India. But those who involve in the death of RSS ideologues in Kerala should not have the right to lecture on lynching.