Other members wanted to know if the Government subscribed to the Sangh Parivar’s view that all citizens of India are Hindus.

The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday accused each other in the Lok Sabha of indulging in "communal politics" even as other members wanted to know from the Government whether it subscribed to the Sangh Parivar’s view that all citizens of India are Hindus.

Since the discussion on "communal violence" could not be wrapped up this evening, the Government is scheduled to reply on Thursday. The issue was taken up for discussion this afternoon after the Congress protested in the morning over the delay in slotting it despite being listed in the business for three days running.

And even after the Speaker agreed to discuss the issue soon after the passage of the National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, the issue forced an adjournment as neither the Home Minister nor the Minister of State for Home was in the House when Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge was called to initiate the discussion. Their absence was cited by the Congress as testimony to the fact that the Government was not taking the issue seriously.



Incidents of

Communal Tension





July 23, 2014:

Meerut (20-year-old raped, forced to convert to Islam) April-June 2014:

Across country 149 Uttar Pradesh 32 Maharashtra 26 Madhya Pradesh 17 July 26:

Saharanpur (land dispute)

3 killed; 38 injured; July 27:

Moradabad (tension over removal of temple loudspeaker) August-Sepetember 2013:

Muzaffarnagar 60 Killed;90 injured; 50,000 displaced 2013

Across country 823 Uttar Pradesh 247 Maharashtra 88 Madhya Pradesh 84 Gujarat 68 Karnataka 73

When the discussion was finally initiated, Mr. Kharge said incidents of communal violence had increased in the two months since the new government came to power and sought to buttress his argument with data tabled by the Government in Parliament itself. Some forces have got emboldened, he said; pointing out that such incidents of communal violence were not being reported from States where they do not have much of a presence.

In response, the BJP fielded Yogi Adityanath who said the Hindu faith had opened its arms to all faiths but was under threat in its own land. ``There is a conspiracy against Hinduism,’’ he said; adding that tears were shed by the Congress and those who call themselves secular over the attacks on minorities but not when Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave their native place.

While Communist Party of India (Marxist) member Mohd. Salim said an attempt was being made to impose majoritarian opinion on the country, Nationalist Congress Party leader Tariq Anwar said given the apprehension that minorities have about the BJP, it was important that the Government set them at rest by dealing with all people with an even hand.

Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) wanted to know if the Government would keep as much of an eye on Hindu fundamentalist organisations as it did on Muslim organisations with extremist ideologies. He also wanted to know whether the Government thought all citizens of India are Hindus. ``If so, then change the Constitution,’’ he said while PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti sought to remind Yogi Adityanath that both Hindus and Muslims were killed in the violence in Kashmir.