Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to Kolkata-based Bangla language newspaper Anand Bazaar Patrika, termed the Dadri incident ‘dukhad’(unfortunate) and questioned the logic behind blaming the Central government for the incident.
He said the Dadri incident and the banning of Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali's concerts were regrettable, but asked if it “is it fair to blame the Centre?”
Mohammad Akhlaq was beaten to death by a mob which suspected him of having stored and consumed beef. Several members of the BJP are among the suspects in the case.
‘Always practiced secularism’
The Prime Minister said that the "BJP had always practiced secularism in any situation where there have been differences; the party has never supported anyone involved in such incidents."
He took on the Opposition too, saying that by accusing the BJP of communalism and polarising communities, "isn’t the Opposition itself guilty of polarising the atmosphere?"