More PM Modi becomes popular, more such incidents: Union Minister Meghwal on Alwar lynching

"What happened with Sikhs in 1984 was the biggest mob lynching of this nation's history."

File photo courtesy: Twitter/@arjunrammeghwal

New Delhi: A man was reportedly beaten to death in Alwar by a crowd on suspicions of smuggling cows late Friday night. Just a day later, a shocking statement on the tragic incident came from union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal who said such incidents are reactions to PM Narendra Modi's growing popularity.

Asked to comment on the unfortunate incident, Meghwal - a former IAS officer - said that incidents like the one in Alwar are only reactions to policies and programs carried out by PM Modi. "The more popular Modi ji becomes, the more such incidents will happen. In Bihar election, it was 'Award Wapsi'. In UP election, it was mob lynching. In 2019 elections, it'll be something else," he said. "Modi ji gave policies and the impact of these are being seen. Incidents (lynching) like these are reactions."

He even said that while mob lynching should be condemned, the Alwar incident is not the first and called the Sikh-related violence in the 80s as the biggest mob lynching in the country's history.

The more popular Modi ji becomes,the more such incidents will happen. In Bihar election it was 'Award Wapsi',UP election it was mob lynching. In 2019 elections it'll be something else.Modi ji ne yojnaein di aur uska asar dikh raha hai ye uska ek reaction hai: AR Meghwal,Union Min pic.twitter.com/qBSiKWwqfb

— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2018

While he was widely slammed for his statement from netizens online, Meghwal now joins a long list of BJP leaders who have made either controversial or highly insensitive - or both - statements. Earlier in the year, PM Modi himself had warned his ministers to not fire irresponsible statements but it may have fallen on tone deaf ears. A few apologise. Others say they were mis-quoted. Still others stand their ground.

Meghwal's statement also comes at a time when the Supreme Court has taken a grim view of mob lynching and vigilantism in the name of cows. Earlier in the week, the apex court of the country asked Centre to consider bringing in a new law to check on rising incidents of mob violence. The court also sent out a strong message that citizens cannot be allowed to take law in their own hands and that 'rising intolerance and growing polarisation cannot be permitted to become the normal way of life.'