Opposition demands resignation of Rajasthan minister who termed lynching incidents conspiracy to stifle Modi's popularity

Opposition leaders launched a scathing attack on BJP leader Arjun Ram Meghwal, a day after the Union minister linked the rise in the number of lynching incidents with Modi’s popularity while claiming a conspiracy to defame the BJP and the prime minister. Meghwal’s comments came after a 28-year-old man was beaten to death by a group of villagers in  Rajasthan’s Alwar on Saturday. Akbar Khan and his friend were reportedly walking with two cows in Lalawandi village on Friday night when a group of villagers thrashed him to death. Though Meghwal condemned the attack, his sympathies came with a scathing remark urging the people to investigate into the root cause of mob lynching incidents. The Union minister also named the 1984 Sikh Riots, News18 reported. He also said, “The more popular Modiji becomes, the more such incidents will happen.” [caption id=“attachment_2904326” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. Twitter[/caption] Meghwal’s comment attracted negative views from various political parties, with some even demanding his resignation. Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee leader Sachin Pilot condemned Meghwal’s statement. He said that such heavy allegations shouldn’t have been made in a casual manner as casual manner as Meghwal had done. Samajwadi Party’s (SP) national spokesperson Ghanshyam Tiwari called for the sacking of Meghwal, who is the Union Minister for State for Water Resources. “The prime minister and the home minister spoke briefly about the mob lynching during the no-confidence motion in the Parliament. But a lynching happened right afterward,” he said, according to Times Now. He said that the government was not serious about the issue. Manoj Jha, who is the spokesperson of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) called for the immediate firing of Meghwal as well. “If he is not sacked, we will assume that the prime minister is working hand-in-glove with Meghwal,” he told Times Now reporters. Suneet Chopra, a senior leader of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) said that Meghwal’s comment will give more confidence to culprits. “When you condemn lynching and do not condemn the people in the game, you are calling for your people to lynch again,” he told reporters.