Rajnath Singh to Lead Panel of Ministers for Anti-Lynching Law, Report to PM Modi
New Delhi, July 23: The central government has set up a four-member committee headed by union home secretary Rajiv Gauba to suggest measures and legal framework to effectively deal with incidents of mob violence and lynching.
The panel will submit its recommendations to a ministerial committee, headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, within four weeks, the home ministry said on Monday. Apart from Singh, the group of ministers also comprises Sushma Swaraj, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Thawar Chand Gehlot.
The group of ministers will submit its findings directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but no timeline has been announced for that.
"In order to formulate appropriate measures to address the situation, government has set up a high level committee headed by union home secretary to deliberate the matter and make recommendations," a government spokesperson said.
The Centre’s move has come after the Supreme Court had last week directed it to enact a law to deal with such cases. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had termed the incidents of lynching "horrendous acts of mobocracy".
Several cases of lynching and mob violence have been reported from across the country in the recent past, the latest being from Rajasthan where a man was beaten to death on Friday on suspicion of cow smuggling.
In the statement, the government said that it is committed to upholding the rule of law and adopting measures to curb such incidents as it has previously said in the Parliament as well. It also reiterated that law and order is a state subject and repeated advisories have been issued to states and UTs to curb mob violence in the name of cow protection.
A top home ministry official also told CNN-News18 that the Centre has asked Rajasthan government for a report on the Alwar lynching.
The Narendra Modi government has also come under attack from the Opposition, which has questioned its sincerity in tackling the recent spate of mob violence
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted to target PM Modi on the lynching incidents on Monday, saying this his "brutal 'New India'" where hatred rules and "people are crushed and left to die".
Other opposition leaders too questioned the comments made by home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday in Lok Sabha when he said that the biggest mob lynching happened during the anti-sikh riots of 1984.
"These incidents are happening in BJP ruled states because of political patronage," CPI MP D Raja told CNN-News18. Raja has given a notice for adjournment in Rajya Sabha to discuss the lynching issue.
NCP leader Majid Memon said that police has been asked to turn a blind eye in these incidents. "It is now emerging that police (in Alwar) wasted precious time in trying to take the cow to a shelter home than take the lynching victim to a doctor, this is shameful," he said.
Courtesy: www.news18.com
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Surjewala slams Pratap Simha’s ‘vile’ remarks on CM Siddaramaiah, demands apology from BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.
Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.
Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.
"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.
Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".
Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."
The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".
He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.
Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.
Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.
Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.
There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.
