Congress Rajya Sabha MP Bhalchandra Mungekar today demanded a CBI probe supervised by a Supreme Court judge into the Dadri lynching where a man was killed over rumours that he ate beef.
He also demanded sacking of BJP leader and Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma for his "dubious" role in the incident.
Mungekar, a former Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University, told reporters here, "PM (Narendra) Modi must sack Sharma for his dubious and suspicious role in the entire episode."
"I demand a probe by CBI to be supervised by a Supreme Court judge for a fair and impartial inquiry into the incident," he said.
"BJP local leaders are making provocative statements to prove that the lynching of Mohammed Akhalaq was an accident. Modi must warn his colleague ministers and MPs to see reason and refrain from spreading communal venom," the Congress MP said.
He questioned silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the case.
"Silence of the Prime Minister in this case is deafening and calculated. Modi is otherwise enthusiastic to talk to the people of the country through 'Maan ki Baat'. Fast decline in his personal popularity due to failure to fulfil election promises to bring 'acche din' (good days) may be prompting him to remain silent towards such communally polarising tactics," Mungekar said.
He alleged that there is reason to speculate that there was tactical "division of work". "Modi should continue to talk of development agenda while BJP's communal offshoots should engage in pouring divisive poison in the country," he alleged.
On September 28, 50-year-old Mohammad Iqlakh was beaten to death by a mob following rumours that he and his family consumed beef. His 22-year-old son Danish was critically injured in the incident.
