NEW DELHI: Expressing shock at the “silence” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the recent incidents of communal violence in various parts of the country, leaders of 13 opposition parties on Saturday issued a joint statement saying that they are extremely anguished by the manner in which choices over food, clothing, faith, festivals and regional languages are being “demonised” by sections of the ruling establishment to “polarise” the society.
The statement was signed Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Trinamool Congress chairperson and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, DMK president and Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, among others.
Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are not signatories to the statement. As per the joint statement, “We are extremely concerned with the growing incidents of hate speech in the country, by the people who appear to have official patronage and against whom no meaningful and strong action is being taken.”
On the PM’s purported silence, the opposition leaders said alleged he has failed to speak against the words and actions of those who propagate bigotry and those who, by their words and actions, incite and provoke our society.
“This silence is an eloquent testimony to the fact that such private armed mobs enjoy the luxury of official patronage. We reiterate our collective resolve to work together to strengthen the bonds of social harmony that have defined and enriched India for centuries. We reiterate our commitment to combat and confront the poisonous ideologies which are attempting to entrench divisiveness in our society,” they said.
Condemning the recent outbursts of communal violence across several states, the leaders said they are deeply concerned, as reports indicate that there is a sinister pattern in the areas where these incidents have occurred. “Incendiary hate speeches preceded the aggressive armed religious processions unleashing communal violence,” they said.