Minority Affairs Minister K. Rahman Khan on Monday blamed BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for inciting violence which resulted in the killing of 31 Muslims in Assam by making a statement against Bangladesh illegal immigrants.
Muslims were gunned down in three days, according to the police, by tribal militants who resent the presence of immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh.
Modi had said last week that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in West Bengal should have their "bags packed" in case he came to power, accusing the state government of being too soft.
The Congress party blamed Modi of using divisive rhetoric and of encouraging Bodos to kill the minority community.
"Saying things like Muslim Bangladeshi refugees will be sent back, during election time, resulted in the killings of over 32 Muslims by Bodo militants in Kokrajhar three days ago. They (Modi and BJP) have started this," said Khan.
Security forces found the bodies of nine people with bullet wounds on Saturday, six of them women and children, the third day of violence that police have blamed on Bodo tribesmen attacking Muslim settlers as punishment for opposing their candidate in the election to the Indian parliament.
Meanwhile, Rahman Khan also appealed to the Supreme Court to put Amit Shah, close aide of Modi, behind bars for making provocative speeches after he labeled Azamgarh as a 'base of militants'.
"The ban put up by Election Commission on Amit Shah was lifted when he apologised. But he is doing the same things again. I want to appeal to the Election Commission to take strict action against Amit Shah and to cancel his bail and arrest him," said Khan.
Shah recently had to apologise to the Election Commission after his rallies were banned over his alleged hate remarks in riot-hit northern Muzaffarnagar district.
