In the wake of the growing number of mob lynching cases in the country, President Pranab Mukherjee asked whether people were vigilant enough to save the basic tenets of the country.

Pranab was speaking on Saturday at the relaunch of the National Herald Paper. He inaugurated the event in the presence of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Pained to see mob frenzy, President Mukherjee said, "When mob lynching becomes so rampant and uncontrollable, we have to pause and reflect, are we vigilant enough?"

He added, "I am not talking of vigilantism, I am asking whether we are vigilant enough, proactively to save the basic tenets of our country."

Condemning such lynchings further, Mukherjee added, "We shall have to ponder if we see a newspaper and read that an individual was lynched because of an alleged violation. When mob frenzy becomes so strong, we need to reflect and ask are we vigilant enough. Vigilance by citizens against such acts can act as the biggest deterrent to the forces of darkness."

"Colonialism comes back in different shapes. We shall rise to fight the subjugation and suppression of rulers", he added.

IDEA OF INDIA IS UNDER ATTACK: SONIA GANDHI

Meanwhile, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi also used the occasion to hit back at the Modi government over the spurt in cases of mob vigilantism and acts of violence over beef and cattle slaughter rumours.

Sonia said, "The idea of India is under attack. Mob violence is the new order. The culture of vigilante violence is being actively supported by those who are supposed to uphold the law."

The Congress chief added, "The Modi government is trying to divide India along sectarian lines. Cultural authoritarianism and bigotry have come to be the order of the day. If we do not speak up now and accept without scrutiny these follies and fallacies, we will leave for our children a divided and broken country. The concept of inclusiveness is under attack. It is our duty to expose this hypocrisy of the government and show the truth to the people. Where we choose to stand today is where we will head tomorrow."

She went on to say, "It is ironical that the sacrifice of our founding fathers and their selfless service for society are being appropriated by those who belonged to the opposite ideology that polarises and divides people along different lines. Our founding fathers were guided by unity, peace and justice, not division and hatred. Their ideals are now being threatened by those who made no sacrifice in shaping India."

PRIYANKA VADRA ECHOES MOTHER SONIA, PRANAB ON VIGILANTISM

In an exclusive chat with India Today, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said she was absolutely on the same page as her mother and President Pranab Mukherjee as far as rising intolerance in the country was concerned.

She said, "It makes me furious to see such things on social media and internet. It makes my blood boil and it should make every right thinking Indian's blood boil too."

PM Modi, only a few days ago, had slammed cow vigilantes while addressing a gathering in Ahmedabad. But his reprimand seems to have hardly had any effect as cases of mob lynchings have gone up in recent times. Ironically, most of these cases have been reported from states where the BJP is in power.

Under the banner "Not In My Name", there were agitations witnessed across various states on Wednesday to protest against the incidents of mob lynching in the country.

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WATCH PRIYANKA GANDHI'S RESPONSE ON LYNCHINGS IN INDIA

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