Condemning the Bulandshahr incident, where two people, including a police inspector, were killed over an alleged cow-slaughter incident, the Opposition said Tuesday that attempts were being made to incite communal unrest in the western Uttar Pradesh city.
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that those fuelling violence in the name of cow have been receiving full protection from the BJP and the RSS.
"A police officer is killed using his own weapon... This monster (violence) is their creation because they consider the life of a cow more valuable than of humans. Right to life is a fundamental right in the Indian Constitution," Owaisi said.
Describing the incident as "very sad and condemnable", Congress leader Manish Tewari claimed that attempts were being made to instigate communal violence in the society ahead of the polls.
"One thing is very clear that attempts are being made to incite communal unrest before the elections," he said.
A mob of some 400 people, including right-wing activists, fought pitched battles with police on Monday in Siana area of Bulandshahr district, apparently after right-wing activists were angered by the discovery of cow carcasses strewn in a nearby jungle.
They set fire to dozens of vehicles, hurled stones and also fired at police who retaliated with gunfire. In the violence, Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, the station house officer of Siana, and 20-year-old Sumit Kumar were killed.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik said the incident was very grave in nature and those involved in the incident must face severe punishment.
"Discussions on cow and cow slaughter keep on happening. There is a need to find a way out from this. It is also right that cows venture into farms of farmers and they suffer losses, but such acts cannot be justified and, therefore, I condemn it," Naik said.
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