Kolkata, Jul 25 (IANS): Trinamool MP Nusrat Jahan says so-called "cow vigilantes" have turned Lord Ram's name into a murder cry and has appreciated members of civil society groups speaking up for human life.
"There are numerous incidents of citizens being attacked by so-called 'cow vigilantes' over rumours of eating beef or cow-smuggling, etc. The government's selective silence and inaction hits us hard. Lynch mobs have actually turned Lord Ram's name into a murder cry," Jahan said in a tweet.
According to the actress-turned MP, mob lynching criminals "are nothing but enemies of our country and are terrorists".
In an open letter, Jahan has urged fellow citizens to raise their voice as "hate crimes and mob-lynchings are on a steep rise in our country".
She mentioned that the period 2014-19 has recorded the most number of hate crimes against Muslims, Dalits and other minorites.
"2019 by now has witnessed more than 11 hate crimes and 4 deaths. They are all minorities and suppressed," she wrote.
Expressing astonishment about the silence of the government, Jahan said: "The Hon'ble Supreme Court last year on July 17 has called on the government to come up with a law to tackle these horrendous acts of mobocracy. But the government is silent".
"As a young MP, representing new age secular India, I request this Government and all lawmakers to frame a law to stop such assaults on democracy by mob-lynchers," she added.
Jahan ended the letter with the poet Muhammad Iqbal's lines "Mazhab nahi sikhata aapas mein bair rakhna" (Religion does not teach us to bear ill-will among ourselves).