Nehru govt passed law on cow slaughter with Ambedkar's assent, how can you blame Modi: Arun Jaitley in RS

The government today asserted that killings in the name of cow "sentiments" was unacceptable and said the state governments should take stern action against those indulging in such violence.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was speaking on the issue of lynchings in the Rajya Sabha on behalf of ailing Home Minister Rajnath Singh, made it clear that the central government could not be blamed for violence by "some people".

"The government's stand is clear. Nobody is allowed to do that (lynching in the name of cow protection). There is no rationalisation, no arguments of sentiments being hurt can be an explanation for this. And, the government is absolutely committed," he said.

Jaitley, who is also the Leader of the House, was replying to a debate on 'situation arising out of the reported increase in the incidents of lynching and atrocities on minorities and dalits across the country', during which the opposition parties slammed the government and particularly targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over such incidents.

Noting that the prime minister had spoken thrice against cow vigilantism, he said "no amount of sympathy" will be shown for those who indulge in lynching and "law will certainly take its own course."

He said the government unequivocally condemns the killings of human beings in the name of protecting cows and said "violence can never be a partisan issue and can't be justified."

Rejecting the Opposition's allegation that no action was taken in the cases of lynching, Jaitley asserted that "legal action was taken systematically in each incident. People were arrested and they are in jail. They are all going to be chargesheeted against whom evidence is going to be found...

This is clear and there is no 'ifs' and 'buts'." In his speech, he emphasised that cow slaughter was banned in most of the states since the time of first prime minister Jawaharalal Nehru, who was "secular and not over- religious" unlike Indira Gandhi who was "more religious".

"This (ban on cow slaughter) was not proposed by Modi ji or Rajnath ji. This was said by Ambedkar during Nehru's time," Jaitley said, adding ban on cow slaughter was prescribed in the Article 48 of the Constitution framed by the Constituent Assembly.

Later, it was made part of 7th Schedule of the Constitution as a result of which the matter fell under the purview of the state governments.

"At that time, neither the BJP was in place, nor was any state ruled by the BJP," he said, adding most of the states then were ruled by the Congress, which framed laws prohibiting cow slaughter.

"We have laws in place and if any such incident occurs where police is not acting and brought to our notice to this effect, the government will not think twice of requesting state governments and advising the state governments and even asking for reports as well as states are concerned," he said.

"There are no 'ifs' and 'buts'. Laws made in the states have provisions to preserve and protect cows. That right is with the state and its police. Nobody has the right to take law into their hands... If anybody does it, they should be arrested and prosecuted," he said

The Opposition targeted the government over the lynchings, with the Congress accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "creating such an environment" and indulging in "double speak" on the issue.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha on lynchings, alleged that the prime minister was doing nothing to restrain cow vigilantes who, he said, include elements from VHP and Bajrang Dal.

He was participating in a discussion on the 'situation arising out of the reported increase in the incidents of lynching and atrocities on minorities and Dalits across the country' which started yesterday.

Sibal said the year 2017 has witnessed maximum murders and the cattle ban had negatively impacted leather industry besides industries like soap and shampoo.

"I am shaken and shattered by the images of grotesque violence and heart-wrenching scenes (which) I have seen on social media and Twitter. We did not see it in the last 50 years," he said.

He went on to question, "What is the sentiment behind it? Why 97 per cent of the violence has taken place after 2017?" Targeting the prime minister, he said it was Modi who had "provoked" such sentiments and quoted his three speeches on October 8, 2015, August 6, 2016 and June 29,2017.

Sibal said paradoxically in one of the speeches, the PM had said that some people were involved in the crime during night and during the day they converted into 'gau rakshaks' but no action was taken against such people.

"It is the PM whose statement is different during night and different during day...It is PM who is creating such environment. It is better to stop double speak and come clean," the Congress leader said.

He said the prime minister should not just quote Mahatma Gandhi but follow him in letter and spirit.

Sibal said the VHP has announced creating a "holy army of gau rakshaks" and recruited 2,700 people.

"These are recruited by VHP and trained by Bajrang Dal," he said and questioned "Why doesn't he (PM) say that VHP and Bajrang Dal were anti-social? He gets political support for elections. Hindutva ideology has created a reign of terror," Sibal said.

He said the fight today is between "fake" and "real" Hindus.

He said the House needs to rise to stop hooligans who were out to destroy peace and tranquillity of the nation.

The Congress leader alleged that government was not able to even take care of cows as 50 cows had lost their lives in Haryana as they were not taken care of well.

Raising a point of order, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Sibal should authenticate three statements of the PM which he quoted, else these should be expunged.

He also objected to mention of VHP and Bajrang Dal, saying it is the practice not to mention those who are absent from the floor of the House and cannot defend themselves.

Naresh Gujral (SAD), while participating in the debate, urged the members to refrain from giving political colour to incidents in a land where Buddha and Mahavir spread the message of tolerance.

Asserting that goondaism cannot be tolerated, he said the government could talk to the Chief Justice of India for creating special court for speedy trial of lynching cases, which amounted to acts like "terrorism".

He said it was time that this "madness" was brought to an end as people are becoming reluctant to come and invest in India in such an atmosphere.

Attacking the government, Sharad Yadav (JDU) said the incidents of lynching were more deadly than killings by Talibans and Afghans.

When religion overtakes poltics or vise versa, internal conflicts are created, he said and pointed towards Pakistan, Afghanistan and Syria.

Yadav said, "it is unfortunate that such a condition has been created in the country that a student from JNU goes traceless, people are lynched in the name of cow and condition has become so bad that people are afraid of travelling in buses and trains."

He said BJP-ruled states were witnessing maximum cases of lynching. Such incidents occurred in 14 districts of Jharkhand, 11 districts of UP, 9 districts of Haryana, 5 districts of Rajasthan and 4 districts each of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, Yadav said.

Alleging that laws were being trampled, he asked the government to take "corrective measures as the minority community of India has chosen the country to live and die here."

"Don't provoke him. Stop this drama," he said and alleged that livestock was being destroyed on the one side and 12,000 farmers were committing suicide in the country on the other side.