A political row broke out in Parliament after the minister’s denial of the lynching in Rajasthan
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union minister
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New Delhi/Alwar: The lynching of a New Delhi: The lynching of a Muslim man by cow vigilantes in Alwar in Rajasthan snowballed into a political row yesterday with Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi saying no such incident, as was being presented had happened, and the Congress questioning his remark.
As the incident generated heat in both houses of Parliament, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS, saying there is no place in the country for those disagreeing with them and that tragedies of huge proportion occur when government "abdicates responsibility".
Members in the Rajya Sabha expressed grave concern over the killing with Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asking the government to probe it.
Breakdown of law and order
During the Zero Hour, Congress member Madhusudan Mistry said there was a "complete breakdown of law and order" in Rajasthan as "a gang of gau-rakshaks (cow vigilantes)" stopped a truck carrying cattle and mercilessly thrashed four of its occupants after letting off the "Hindu" driver. As members of opposition parties supported him, Mistry said similar incidents were taking place in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat as also Uttar Pradesh, all ruled by BJP.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it was a very sensitive issue, but "no such incident has happened, the way the matter is being presented here."
"A message should not be sent out that the House supports cow slaughter," he said, and added that "the state government has refuted (the allegations). We do not justify hooliganism".
To this, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "I am extremely sorry that the minister is so ill-informed. Even the New York Times has reported (on it) and the minister does not know...I have not come across such an insensitive government". Kurien said he cannot go by newspaper reports. He said if such an incident has happened, then it is a serious matter and if it has not happened and has been said in the House, then too it is a serious matter.
Action being taken
Naqvi later said action was being taken against the accused. Defending the Rajasthan government, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said action as per law would be taken.
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