Do more to condemn violence: Allies to BJP

Tribune News Service 

New Delhi, August 14

Allies JD-U and Akali Dal today admonished the ruling BJP to come down heavily on sections of mobs running riot in parts of India and do more to condemn the pervading culture of  lynching and violence.

Akali Dal Leader and Rajya Sabha member Naresh Gujral said at an event to mark the release of Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi's new book that "minorities will not feel at ease unless the ruling class goes back to the values preached by Guru Nanak".

“We’ve all been brought up with the values of unity in diversity. The challenge before our ruling class today is to balance unity with diversity. Unless you go back to Guru Nanak's philosophy of tolerance, accommodation and dialogue, minorities won't have a feeling of ease,” Gujral said.

Asked by panel discussion moderator Karan Thapar if he meant there was unease  among the minorities under the NDA Government of which his party was part, the Akali leader said "it's the duty of every government, in states and the Centre, to come down heavily on the fringe, they are terrorists. The state must terrorise them, not let them terrorise people."

JD-U leader Pawan Verma, also part of the panel discussion attended by Road and Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, said the BJP “once again needs to reassure people that the government will not run on the basis of violence.”

After Gadkari today said PM Modi and top BJP brass had routinely condemned lynching in the name of cow vigilantism, Verma said, “Well then there should be a stronger reprimand of people who take to violence because when condemnation comes after a delay of months the signal goes out that the high command is not particularly unhappy with what's happening.”