Communal incidents have shown a declining trend across India, the government said.There is no common pattern to mob lynchings across the country with incidents occurring in different states ruled by different political dispensations, the government said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Communal incidents have shown a declining trend across India, the government said.
During Question Hour, Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said that the BJP government was serious about tackling the issue and the Prime Minister had also expressed his concern. He said such incidents have been reported from Tripura, West Bengal and Kerala and had been reported previously as well.
“Available data shows that there is no common pattern of mob lynching and incidents have happened in different states at different times. Incidents have happened in different states ruled by different political parties,” he said.
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said incidents of lynching and violence against minorities and Dalits have become too common during the last five years. He said such incidents were not reported on television but WhatsApp messages in circulation show that minorities were forced to chant slogans by members associated to a political party. He asked how many advisories have been sent by the Centre to state governments in this regard.
RJD member Manoj Kumar Jha raised the issue of communal riots in Muzaffarnagar, saying 40 accused have been acquitted, and questioned what was being done for protection of witnesses.
Home Minister Amit Shah said the minister concerned can only respond when he has information on the specified time period. Replying to another query, Reddy said the Centre has “zero tolerance” towards incidents of communal violence and such incidents have shown a declining trend across the country — from 823 in 2013 to 708 in 2018.
“The incidents of communal violence show a declining trend,” he said.
