Motihari (Bihar), April 10: Amid nationwide protests by Dalits after a Supreme Court order allegedly diluting the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes Atrocities Act, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the opposition of dividing the country.
"They (opposition) are creating hurdles in the work of the government from the streets to Parliament. Today you have a government at the Centre which is working to unite the people of the country while the opposition is working to divide the people," Modi told the National Convention of 'Swachhagrahis' here.
Eight persons were killed and dozens injured during Dalit protests on April 2 turned violent following a Supreme Court order that dilutes a law aimed at preventing atrocities against Dalits and Tribes.
Tuesday's event was organised as part of the centenary celebrations of the Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi in Champaran.
Hitting out at the former UPA government led by the Congress for delaying projects, the Prime Minister said his government was completing all its mission and commitments with the cooperation of the people.
Describing the Madhepura Electric Locomotive Factory as a prime example of Make in India and a source of employment in the region, he said work on the project was first approved in 2007 but it began only three years ago when the NDA government came into the power.
On Tuesday, the first engine rolled out of the factory.
"This is the style of working of this government. 'Ab atkane, latkane and bhatkane wala kaam nahin hota'. Now the culture of stopping files is not there. The government is committed to fulfil all its mission," he said.
He said the changes brought in the society through development works had created problems for the opposition and they were unable to accept this.
"They cannot see the poor getting empowered. They feel if the poor are strengthened, then they (opposition) will not be able to speak lies. They will not be able to fool them," he said.
The Prime Minister showered praise on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his patience and able administration in fighting corrupt and anti-social forces.
"It is not so easy," he said, adding that the Centre extended its full support to the efforts of Nitish Kumar in fighting against corruption and his efforts towards sanitation drive for social change.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister launched several important development projects. He unveiled a plaque to mark the foundation stone of Motijheel Project, the Bettiah Nagar Parishad Water Supply Scheme and four Ganga Projects.
Modi laid the foundation stone for the doubling of railway lines between Muzaffarpur and Sagauli as well as between Sagauli and Valmikinagar.
He dedicated the first phase of the Madhepura Electric Locomotive Factory to the nation. Via video link, he flagged off the first 12,000 HP Freight Electric Locomotive, and the Champaran Humsafar Express.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for a road lane of NH-2 in Aurangabad Bihar-Jharkhand border section and distributed awards to Champion Swachhagrahis from across the country.
Mahatma Gandhi launched the Champaran Satyagraha on April 10, 1917 against the British to fight for the rights of farmers who were forced to undertake indigo cultivation.
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Mangaluru: The recent mob lynching incident on the outskirts of Mangaluru, in which a man was allegedly beaten to death by a group of individuals, has triggered widespread anger across the state. Social media has erupted with criticism over the remarks made by senior state ministers and the alleged inaction of the Congress-led state government. Questions are being raised about the role of a senior BJP leader in the case, and allegations have surfaced that the police are shielding him instead of ensuring justice.
The controversy intensified after State Home Minister G Parameshwar commented that the mob attacked the victim because he allegedly shouted “Pakistan Zindabad”. His statement sparked outrage, with citizens and activists questioning the source of his information. “Who informed the Home Minister that the deceased shouted pro-Pakistan slogans? If it was confirmed only two days later that it was a murder, how was this detail known in advance?” many questioned online and offline.
Critics argue that this kind of rhetoric is part of a growing pattern of mob lynchings targeting Muslims across the country. The Home Minister has been accused of minimising the gravity of the crime and adopting the narrative of the accused even before the investigation is complete.
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Amid the backlash, Parameshwar clarified that he was only citing what the accused had claimed and that he never personally stated the deceased shouted the slogan. He assured that a detailed investigation is ongoing and added that action will be taken against any police official found guilty of negligence in the matter.
Further anger was fuelled by a statement from District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who referred to the deceased as a person from ‘other community’ and described the attackers as ‘cricketers’. These remarks drew strong reactions from various quarters, with many questioning how an elected representative could refer to a citizen as ‘other’ simply because he hailed from a different region. “Are the voters who brought him to power also others?” some asked on social media.
The deceased was reportedly a resident of Wayanad, the constituency of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, whose silence on the incident has also drawn public disappointment and criticism.
CPM Dakshina Kannada District Committee Secretary Munir Katipalla was among the first to condemn the ministers' comments. He questioned how a migrant worker, brutally murdered in a mob attack, could be labelled a foreigner while the attackers were glorified. He also alleged that the situation in Mangaluru had worsened under Minister Gundu Rao’s watch, as the police commissioner, accused of being close to businessmen and communal elements, was allowed to continue in office despite concerns.
Journalist and author Naveen Surinje also criticised the government. Citing the FIR, which stated that the deceased approached a group of 30-40 people shouting "Pakistan, Pakistan", Surinje questioned the logic and credibility behind such a narrative. “If the government believes such a statement — from someone who is themselves an accused in the murder — then we must question the government’s intention. The victim is no longer alive to deny these claims, and the so-called witnesses are all accused,” he said. He urged the government to speak in the voice of the law, not in the voice of the accused.
The incident and the state government’s response have sparked not just public outrage but growing dissatisfaction among Congress voters, with many feeling let down by the leadership and the law enforcement's conduct in such a sensitive case.