Not just in Rajasthan, such cases reported from UP, Assam: Kharge on Udaipur incident

New Delhi, Jun 29: As the BJP held Ashok Gehlot government responsible for the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has come to the Rajasthan government's support, saying the Chief Minister took swift action and culprits were nabbed within two-three hours.

"We all condemn the Udaipur incident. Rajasthan CM took swift action; culprits were nabbed within 2-3hrs. This is further proof that the Rajasthan govt is vigil & maintaining law & order, so it is not okay to demoralise them," news agency ANI quoted Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge as saying.

Kharge stated that such incidents have been reported from the BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh and Assam. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break the silence and make an appeal to youths so "that they don't engage in such incidents."

"Prime Minister and Home Minister should break their silence. PM should appeal to the people that they don't engage in such incidents. People should not engage in provocative hate speeches," the Congress leader added.

Two men, identified as Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad, with a cleaver hacked Lal to death in Udaipur city's Dhan Mandi area and posted videos online that said they are avenging an insult to Islam, triggering stray cases of violence in the Rajasthan city, a part of which was placed under curfew.

In a video clip, Akhtari declared that they had "beheaded" the man and went on to threaten Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying their knife will get him as well. Indirectly, the assailants also referred to Nupur Sharma. "Kanhaiya Lal's throat was slit in a terror attack.

The Rajasthan Police has registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against the two men who brutally murdered Kanhaiya Lal, Gehlot said on Wednesday.

Lal's killing triggered stray cases of violence in Udaipur and the curfew was clamped in seven police station areas of the city.

The curfew remained imposed in seven police station areas of the city on Wednesday and mobile internet services were suspended across all 33 districts of the