Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's for his assertion that 'violence in the name of faith would not be tolerated' and 'everyone will have to bow before the law', the Congress on Sunday questioned why, even after such repeated statements by the head of the nation, such atrocities were not ending.
"I don't understand. Prime Minister Modi said that violence can't be accepted at any cost. He had also said such things earlier also. But it has not stopped till now. I want to ask who is responsible for all this violence. Today what is happening in the name of faith of religion, the same thing happened earlier too and it's been continuing for the last three years," Congress leader Meem Afzal told ANI.
He further said that whatever is happening is not right and that a strict action should be taken against the culprits.
Addressing the nation in his monthly radio address, earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi said no one has the right to take law into one's own hands in the name of faith.
"I had said this in my earlier speech too, when I spoke from the Red Fort on August 15 that violence in the name of faith will not be tolerated. Whether it is communal belief systems or subscribing to political ideologies, whether it is allegiance to a person or customs and traditions, nothing in the name of violence will be tolerated," he added.
"In the Constitution given to us by Baba Saheb Ambedkar, there is every provision for ensuring justice for each and every person," he said.
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Prime Minister Modi added that when news of violence comes amidst festivities "it is only natural to be concerned," adding that India is the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Buddha.
"We have been hearing and saying Ahimsa Parmo Dharmah (the Mahabharata, one of the epics of Hinduism, has multiple mentions of the phrase Ahimsa Paramo Dharma, meaning, non-violence is the highest moral virtue) from our Childhood," he added.
Prime Minister Modi also said that for centuries, nation's forefathers imbibed community values, non-violence, and mutual respect which were "inherent to us".
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi touched upon a variety of topics in his 'Mann ki Baat' address, including terrorism, violence, and cleanliness among others.