Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked state governments to take strong action against cow vigilantes who indulge in violence, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
The written reply of Union minister of state for home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir came in response to Samajwadi Party MP Javed Ali Khan's question on whether the government has taken cognisance of the statements made by the prime minister on August 6, 2016, June 30 and July 16, 2017.
"Hon'ble Prime Minister has stated that the state governments must deal sternly against anti-social elements that create violence in the name of cow protection," he said.
Ahir said 'police' and 'public order' are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution and state governments are primarily responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime and for prosecuting the criminals through their law enforcement agencies.
However, the ministry of home affairs has issued advisories to the states and union territories, from time to time, to maintain law and order and ensure that any person who takes law into his or her own hands is punished promptly as per law, he said.
In Lok Sabha, BJP MP Om Birla accused the Congress of dividing the country on the basis of religion and caste.
Birla said the Congress has become "insensitive", which is not in the interest of the nation, as he sought to defend the government on the lynching issue during Zero Hour.
Birla said action is being taken by the Rajasthan government in the case of Kheta Ram and investigation is also being carried out in the Alwar case.
Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said concerns raised by members of the House with regard to lynching will be brought to the knowledge of the home ministry.
The home minister had on Tuesday said that the government will enact a law, if necessary, to curb incidents of lynching.
A 28-year-old man was allegedly lynched on suspicion of being a cow smuggler in Lalawandi village in Rajasthan's Alwar district on Saturday last.
Kheta Ram, a Dalit, was beaten to death for allegedly having an affair with a Muslim woman in Rajasthan.
(PTI)
