Violence of any nature cannot be accepted, said Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
Incidents like the mob lynching of a man in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri "damage" the image of the NDA government, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said, adding that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh - the BJP's ideological mentor - has nothing to do with them.
"These incidents damage the image of the NDA as well as the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It cannot be said to be the intention of the government," Mr Parrikar said on Sunday, when asked about the mob killing of 52-year-old Mohammed Akhlaq in Bisada village two weeks back over rumours that he had eaten beef.
"Sometimes local issues are blown out of proportion," Mr Parrikar, who was speaking at an event near Panaji, said, insisting that he was not referring to any particular incident even as he called for exercising restraint on such issues.
Seeking to distance the RSS from the recent attacks in Uttar Pradesh, he said, "I have been a hardcore RSS functionary from my childhood. This (Dadri lynching) has nothing to do with RSS. Indian society is a tolerant and understanding society where solutions are reached through discussion and compromise."
"Violence of any nature cannot be accepted," he said.
The minister's comments come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi
made a strong statement last week, saying Hindus and Muslims must fight poverty, not each other. The PM, who did not mention Dadri in the speech made at a rally in Bihar, has been accused by opponents of keeping silent on the issue.
The mob killing has triggered national outrage with several writers returning their Sahitya Akademi awards to protest the "rising intolerance."