Rajnath for bringing law against lynching, but only if it is necessary

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the central government is taking the incidents of lynching "very seriously" and might bring a law, if necessary, to stop it.

"I want to make it clear that we are not just concerned but have taken lynching incidents very seriously," Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha after opposition members raised the issue days after a cattle farmer was killed allegedly by cow vigilantes in Rajasthan's Alwar.

The Home Minister said the government on Monday formed a panel that would suggest measures to stop mob violence in the country.

He said the Home Secretary-led panel would give its recommendations to a Group of Ministers within four weeks.

"We will also bring a law if that is required."

Rajnath Singh said the biggest incident of lynching had occurred in 1984 when thousands Sikhs were killed in the aftermath of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He said such incidents have been happening in the past.