Govt machinery 'mute spectator' amid continuous attacks on Muslims: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused the BJP government of being a "mute spectator" in the face of "continuous attacks" on minorities, especially Muslims, and demanded the strictest action against "anarchist elements" behind such incidents.
His comments come in the wake of two incidents of mob violence in BJP-ruled Haryana and Maharashtra.
On August 27, a Muslim migrant from West Bengal was beaten to death allegedly by cow vigilantes in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri over suspicions that he had eaten beef. Another person was injured in the attack.
In Maharashtra, an elderly man was abused and beaten up in a train on the suspicion of carrying beef. He was travelling to Kalyan.
Sharing screenshots of the two incidents, videos of which have been doing the rounds on social media, Gandhi said those who have climbed the ladder of power by using hatred as a political weapon are continuously establishing the rule of fear in the country.
"The hateful elements hiding in the form of the mob are openly spreading violence, challenging the rule of law. These miscreants have got a free hand from the BJP government, that is why they have developed the courage to do so," the former Congress chief said in a post in Hindi on X.
There are continuous attacks on minorities, especially Muslims, and the government machinery is watching as a "mute spectator", he said.
The authority of the law should be established by taking the strictest action against such "anarchist elements", Gandhi said in a post in Hindi.
"Any attack on the communal unity of India and the rights of Indians is an attack on the Constitution, which we will not tolerate at all," he said.
"No matter how much the BJP tries - we will win this historic battle to unite India against hatred at any cost," the Congress leader said.
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TN polls: TVK pushes DMK behind with leads in 83 seats, AIADMK ahead in 54
Chennai (PTI): New entrant TVK, led by actor-politician Vijay, was leading in as many as 83 constituencies on Monday when counting of votes polled in the April 23 Assembly polls was on across Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK was leading in 58 seats while the ruling DMK was ahead in 34, EC data showed.
About two hours after the postal ballots were counted and EVMs opened for multi-round counting, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam surged ahead of its Dravidian rivals-- the DMK and the AIADMK, with the ruling party struggling to catch up.
If the trends maintain, Vijay could as well ensure the biggest electoral upset, something in lines with the "1967,1977" wins he had referred to in his campaign speeches.
While the Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai brought the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu post-independence in 1967, the charismatic MG Ramachandran (MGR) installed the maiden AIADMK government 10 years later, unseating then DMK government under M Karunanidhi. TVK was leading in most Chennai segments, all considered DMK strongholds and currently represented by the party in the 234-member House.
A poor show by DMK could belie most exit polls giving an edge to it, riding on the number of populist measures Chief Minister M K Stalin had implemented in his five year "Dravidian model," inclusive governance.
According to EC and TV reports, 15 cabinet ministers, including Stalin were trailing. His son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi was also behind in his incumbent Chepauk-Tirvuvallikeni seat, according to a number of reports.
Stalin was trailing behind TVK's VS Babu by 1234 votes in Kolathur segment. Vijay was ahead in Tiruchirappalli East by over 3,000 votes at the end of two rounds of counting, according to EC data.
BJP is trailing in 26 constituencies and it is ahead in Thali segment alone. TVK is ahead in constituencies including Ponneri, Tiruvallur, Poonamalle, and Avadi.
AIADMK is leading in segments including Katpadi, and Guidyattam and party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami is ahead in Edappadi segment by 7003 votes.
DMK was leading in segments including Vellore, Anaikattu and Rishivandiyam.
