New Delhi: Reacting to the recent incidents of lynchings and violence against minorities, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said Jharkhand has become a factory of lynching and violence. He asked the ruling BJP to keep with it the 'New India' and give back an 'Old India' where love and culture prevailed.

The creation of a 'New India' found frequent mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election rallies in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

“In 'Old India', there was no hatred, anger or lynching. 'New India' is one where humans are enemies of each other. You won't be scared of animals in a jungle, but you'll be scared of humans in a colony. Give us an India where Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians live for each other,” Azad said in the Upper House.

Raising concerns over the rising incidents of communal hatred, the Congress leader asked the BJP to keep its 'New India' to itself. “Hindus used to feel pain when Muslims and Dalits used to get hurt (in old India). When something used to get into the eyes of Hindus, Muslims and Dalits used to shed tears for them,” he added.

On Saturday, a man who was assaulted on suspicion of theft in Jharkhand's Kharsawan district on June 18 and beaten up for hours before being handed over to the police succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. The man was identified as Tabrez Ansari, 24.

The death was reported days after similar incidents in Delhi and Assam. A Muslim cleric was assaulted in Delhi by men after he refused to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while a group of Muslim youth was attacked and forced to chant the religious slogan as well as ‘Pakistan Murdabad’.

Expressing regret over the inaction of BJP against wrongdoers, Azad said the Opposition would stand united in the fight for 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. But at the same time, he asserted that citizens should also be able to see the difference the party is trying to bring.