In the wake of the rising ‘mob lynching’ debates, Manjit Singh Rai, National Commission for Minorities member Wednesday revealed that no case of mob lynching has been registered with the commission. Singh however, assured of appropriate action if any such case is highlighted before the commission.
“Till now we have not got any case pertaining to mob lynching. If such a case comes to us, then we will certainly summon the concerned department. It is the work of the home department to issue an advisory,” stated Rai. He was speaking to journalists after chairing a meeting of district officers on the issue of implementation of schemes for minorities.
Rai assured that commission would initiate strict action against culprits for exploiting and ill-treating minorities when such cases are highlighted before the commission. He asserted that issuing advisories in such cases is the job of the home ministry. He also pointed out that their job is to bring the culprits to books each time such cases are allotted to them.
Rai suggested that law enforcement agencies work diligently towards such cases and swing into action each time such cases are highlighted on social media.
Earlier today, G Kishan Reddy, Minister of State (MoS) for home affairs during Question Hour asserted that BJP government intends to deal with the issue of mob lynching with seriousness and that the PM had expressed his concern about the same.
No common pattern of mob lynching in country: Govt in Rajya Sabha https://t.co/rhI8bkqtCV pic.twitter.com/rbSoYxbPpV
— Times of India (@timesofindia) July 24, 2019
“Available data shows that there is no common pattern of mob lynching and incidents have happened in different states at different times. Incidents have happened in different states ruled by different political parties,” Reddy highlighted.
The MoS highlighted such incidents have come to fore from different parts of the country including Kerala, Tripura and West Bengal on earlier occasions as well.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha had claimed that incidents of violence and lynching against dalits and minorities had risen in the last five years. He went on to allege that members of a particular political party were forcing the minorities to chant certain slogans and such news was not being highlighted on TV but circulated through social media.
Azad further questioned the government on the number of advisories it had sent to state governments on the issue.
Manoj Kumar Jha of the RJD raked up the Muzaffarnagar riots issue and stated that 40 accused had been acquitted. He questioned the government on the steps being taken to protect the witnesses.
In response to his concern, Home Minister Amit Shah suggested that minister concerned can respond only when he has information on the specified time period.
