Congress on Monday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "break his silence" over the alleged "provocative" statements by the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in connection with the Dadri lynching, saying that not doing so would suggest that they had his "approval".
The party also condemned Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan for saying he would take up the issue with United Nations.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintains a deafening silence qua the inflammatory, provocative and incendiary statements aimed at rabble-rousing by Union ministers and the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.
"He should clarify and break his silence or else it will be construed that they have your approval," Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said.
Alleging that the ministers, MPs and MLAs of the BJP were fanning communal fire by their well-thought-out "seditious agenda", he further claimed that they were "aided and abetted by your co-conspirators of the ilk of Samajwadi Party ministers and the Owaisi brothers".
Tiwari said Congress is deeply concerned over the "vitriolic and divisive" hate campaign launched "with the sole objective of polarising India's polity and creating communal tension as a tool for electoral gain".
Accusing Modi government of preaching 'sabka saath, sabka vikas', but doing just the opposite, Tiwari said, "While Modi talks about 'India first', his acolytes talk about division and 'giving befitting reply' like that done during the Muzaffarnagar riots."
Congress, meanwhile, announced that it would hold a 'Sadbhavna fast' on October 10 at Bisara village or another appropriate place to send out a message of communal harmony in the area in the wake of the Dadri lynching.
Tiwari also attacked Azam Khan for saying he would take the issue to United Nations and wondered if he had the approval of his party and the sanction of his chief minister for the same as the matter had to do with law and order in UP.
Terming it a "preposterous" and "condemnable" attempt at "undermining India's sovereignty", he said, "Congress party strongly denounces and rejects this brand of seditious politics by Samajwadi Party and BJP."
The Congress leader also hit out BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi for promising a ban on cow slaughter and took potshots at him saying he was unaware of the 1955 Bihar law in this regard despite being deputy chief minister of the state for many years.
"Mr Prime Minister, what happens to your 'oath of office' to protect and uphold the Constitution and safety and security of 125 crore Indians at all times? Do the statements of Union Ministers, Sanjeev Baliyan and Mahesh Sharma and BJP MLA Sangeet Som have your implied support and tacit approval?
"What about the cardinal principle of 'collective responsibility of council of Ministers'? What about your oft-repeated solemn promise of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'," Tiwari said.
In the wake of the killing of four Indian jawans in an encounter in Kashmir, the Congress leader also questioned the claims of BJP and its chief Amit Shah on Pakistan and terrorism.
"Despite BJP president making boisterous claims in Bihar of chasing terrorists across the border of Myanmar and Pakistan, exported terrorism continues to raise its ugly head leading to sacrifice of our soldiers and civilians on a daily basis," he said.
"There is a moot question which needs to be answered," he further said. "Why is Modi government soft on tackling terror and appears to have no policy or direction to tackle Pakistan-exported terror? 900 ceasefire violations have taken place in 500 days of this government," he said.
Tiwari charged that the death of scores of civilians and jawans and reiteration by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that Kashmir was central to any conflict resolution between India and Pakistan had put a question mark on the intent and plan of Modi government for handling not only terrorism but also Indo-Pakistan issues.
