Oppn parties attack PM over his "silence" on Dadri killing

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties today hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "silence" on the killing of a man in Dadri over rumours of his family having eaten beef, saying he should have condemned the incident or at least offered his condolences.

Questioning Modi's "silence" on the lynching incident that has sparked an outrage, the Trinamool Congress(TMC) said he should make a statement on communal incidents in the country in order to stop RSS and other outfits from "disrupting" communal harmony.

"We want to know why is Narendra Modi silent on the recent killing of a person only over rumours of consuming beef. This is nothing but spreading communal poison in the society and disrupting the fabric of the country," TMCMP Sultan Ahmed told PTI in Kolkata.

"Modi keeps on speaking about each and every issue. But he stays mum on various communal incidents. He should speak up in order to stop RSS, VHP from destroying communal peace."

Controversial AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who visited the family of the man killed in Dadri in Grater Noida on the outskirts of Delhi, said Modi should have at least sent his condolences in a tweet if "he believes in pluralism and upholding of law".

"We had expected that the least the Prime Minister, who talks of 'sabka saath-sabka vikas' (inclusivity)', would tweet to condole (Mohammed)Iqlakh's murder.

"Yesterday, he had tweeted to condole famous singer Asha Bhosle's son's death. The 'sabka saath-sabka vikas PM' should have at least sent his condolences in a tweet if he believes in pluralism and upholding of law," he said.

Congress also said that the prime minister should speak up and condemn the attack.

"The Prime Minister tweets on every issue, but has not said a word about the incident. He should break his silence and condemn the incident", party spokesman R P N Singh said.

CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said his party is surprised at Modi's "silence" on such "irrational and intolerant" killing of innocent people.