Thane, Feb 25: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday attacked the Narendra Modi government for going soft on 'gau rakshak' vigilante groups claiming these serve the purpose of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Speaking to reporters in Navi Mumbai, where the national executive meeting of his party is being held, the Lok Sabha MP from Telangana also said alliances for the upcoming civic polls, as well as Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Maharashtra next year will be decided in due course.

Referring to the killings of two men from Rajasthan in Haryana on February 16, Owaisi said the Modi government had given a long rope to such 'gau rakshaks' (cow protectors).

Nasir and Junaid, both residents of Ghatmeeka village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, were allegedly abducted by cow vigilantes on February 15 and their bodies were found in a charred car in Loharu in Haryana's Bhiwani the next day.

An FIR was registered on February 16 at Gopalgarh police station against five people under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder) 143 (unlawful assembly), 365 (kidnapping), 367 (grievously hurt after kidnapping) and 368 (wrongfully keeping in confinement) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence).

"This is nothing but state sponsored violence against Muslims. The activities of such groups further the purpose of the BJP. They (BJP) want to create hatred against Muslims," Owaisi said.

The Modi government can take action against the BBC for an adverse documentary, an apparent reference to Income Tax department searches against the new agency, while such "terror groups" go untouched, Owaisi alleged.

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Kochi (PTI): Dramatic scenes unfolded at the Ernakulam town hall, where the mortal remains of CPI(M) leader M M Lawrence were kept for public homage, as the late leader's daughter protested the decision to hand over his body to the Government Medical College Hospital here.

The unexpected events occurred after Asha moved the Kerala High Court, challenging the decision of her siblings to donate their father's body to the medical college for educational purposes.

The High Court, after considering the plea, directed the Kalamassery Medical College authorities to hear the objections and take a decision in accordance with the Kerala Anatomy Act.

The court also instructed the college to preserve the body for the time being at the mortuary.

In her petition, the daughter claimed that her father had been baptized and that all his children were baptized in the church.

She further alleged that her siblings along with the Communist party were attempting to project him as an atheist.

Two of Lawrence's children had previously given their consent to handing over the body to the medical college.

Lawrence died on September 21 at the age of 95.

Meanwhile, the ruling CPI(M) clarified that it has no role in the matter.

Whether to hand over the body to the medical college or bury it in a church is a decision for the family, the party said.

CPI(M) district secretary K A Salim said that the decision to hand over the body to the medical college was made by his son.

The court's decision came as the Medical College authorities reached the town hall to take possession of the body.

Asha, the complainant in the case, protested as the body was being handed over to the Medical College authorities amidst chanting of slogans by CPI(M) workers who had gathered to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

Lawrence's son said he decided to hand over the body for medical studies as per his father's last wish.