The Congress on Wednesday termed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's defence of his ministerial colleagues Jayant Sinha and Giriraj Singh as "condemnable" and asked how could there be an independent probe when senior ministers supported such conduct.
"This is condemnable. We have said so many times and you are seeing proof of that. It is not merely indirect support, not a wink and a nod. It has direct support by none less than high-level central ministers..perhaps third or fourth senior-most man in the cabinet.
"These people are accused of the most horrendous reprehensible crime. How do you expect an independent, balanced and objective investigation by the authorities when ministers openly, shamelessly and with impunity lend support to this kind of conduct," asked Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi
Sinha felicitated seven convicted cow vigilantes after they were released on bail and Giriraj Singh met riot accused in a Bihar jail.
In an interview to Firstpost, Gadkari defended their actions and said debating such issues was irrelevant for the unity, unification and future of the country.
--IANS
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