Sibal merits attention towards Dadri killing ahead of first phase in Bihar

As the campaign for the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections on October 12 came to end on Saturday evening, Congress leader Kapil Sibal said the Dadri killing was not a fight between Hindus and Muslims, but it was pre-meditated, meticulously planned and conspired stratagem to create an environment of fear.

"It was not something that happened as an outburst of emotions, as they went to the temple and forced the priest to make an announcement, and then the killing took place. So it was a conspiracy," said Sibal, seeking to know from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to why did he took 10 days to make a statement in this connection.

"On 15 August, the Prime Minister had said from the podium of the Red that communal matters should be banned for the 10 years, then why did not he fulfil his promise," he asked.

"The killing was not a small incident as it was not that just that a person was killed, it was a murder of our Constitution, democracy, civilisation and ancient culture. It was also a murder of the sense of tolerance, which is a part of the Indian tradition. In fact, the soul of India was sought to be murdered," said Sibal, adding that the Congress Party deplores the incident and will fight against it at any cost.

"It is done by those who want to give rise to hate, and take advantage of the ensued violence for their political gain," said Sibal, adding that the Congress Party seeks to know from the Prime Minister that why such incidents take place just before elections?

"You read history of some of the past elections, and you will come to know that such incidents had occurred just before elections. And, every attempt is made to garner political mileage in favour of the BJP," he claimed.