New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday said that lynching had become common because criminals were drawing encouragement from the government's inadequate response and ambiguous attitude.
"The Prime Minister remains silent on such cases and the states order (the) customary inquiries wherein the actual accused are hardly arrested or punished," Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot said after suspected cow vigilantes beat a man to death in Rajasthan on Friday night.
"Lynching and the NDA government are running parallel to each other. Why has it suddenly increased? The comments of the ministers motivate the mob."
Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, rued that the government had failed to check such crimes despite the Supreme Court's recent stricture against the "horrendous acts of mobocracy". "For the BJP, human life has no value. Criminals in the guise of vigilantes are roaming freely without fear of law," he said.
Rajasthan Congress president 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. The home minister's words in Parliament about state governments' responsibility in stopping mob lynching seem even more hollow now."
Union home minister Rajnath Singh had told the Lok Sabha during Friday's debate on the no-confidence motion that law and order was a state matter and the states had been directed to take tough action against lynching.
Opposition members had, however, accused the government of deliberate inaction and ideological encouragement to the lynch mobs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had later in the day said these incidents went "against the basic principles of humanity" and "I once again urge the states to take strict action in such cases".
The Opposition, however, feels that the Prime Minister needs to spell out that vigilantism will not be allowed and take the strictest action to send out a firm message.
One of the primary accusations against the government during Friday's debate - articulated by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, among others - was that it was systematically spreading hatred.
Rahul, who had created a flutter by hugging Modi in the House to show there was no personal hatred, tweeted in the same vein on Saturday.
"The point of yesterday's debate in Parliament: PM uses hate, fear and anger in the hearts of some of our people to build his narrative. We are going to prove that love and compassion in the hearts of all Indians is the only way to build a nation," he posted.
Gehlot tweeted: "People saw the difference between BJP's politics of hatred n deceit and Congress party's mission of goodwill and solidarity with common people. Rahul raised every issue that is tormenting the citizens, while the Prime Minister only spoke against Congress party. We are here to help the people and unite them, BJP is there to hurt the people and divide them."
