CPI questions PM Modi's silence over Dadri incident

NEW DELHI: CPI today questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Dadri lynching incident, saying he is keeping mum as if nothing has happened.

"The Prime Minister is silent. Even the President (Pranab Mukherjee) has said that Indian value of tolerance cannot be wasted in the wake of the incident. Union Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) too has stated that there should be zero tolerance for such incidents. But Modi is keeping mum as if nothing has happened," CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said here.

Taking a dig at Modi, he said, "Now that he considers himself an international personality, people want to know what he thinks of the incident."

Reddy accused leaders of BJP and affiliated Hindutva outfits of fanning communal passions after the incident for electoral gains by ensuring polarisation of votes during Bihar assembly polls, which gets underway in five phases beginning October 12.

He also accused AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi of complimenting BJP's efforts to polarise voters during the polls by targeting minority electors.

"BJP's development talk is only for media reportage during poll time. For political gains, they engage in communal polarisation. Naturally, AIMIM is also trying to take advantage of the same. Stoking communal passion won't help BJP in long-run," said Reddy, who had been to Patna to canvass for party candidates.

The ex-MP also expressed concern over such incident "impelling" noted writers to return their awards in protest of the "assault on right to freedom of both life and expression".

Eminent writers Nayantara Sahgal and Ashok Vajpayee returned their Sahitya Akademi Awards over past two days protesting the Dadri incident.

"This is one way of them expressing displeasure at the alarming incident," he said.

The President had yesterday said the core civilisational values of diversity, tolerance and plurality have kept India united for centuries and they cannot be wasted - remarks that come against the backdrop of the Dadri incident.