Indian PM breaks silence over beef lynching

Muslim Mohammad Akhlaq was beaten to death after he reportedly consumed beef in India, where the animal is considered sacred.

Cows are considered sacred in India
Cows are considered sacred in India
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has broken his silence over the mob lynching of a Muslim man, Mohammad Akhlaq, rumoured to have eaten beef the BBC reports.

“Hindus and Muslims should fight poverty and not each other,” he told a campaign rally in Bihar, after being under pressure to condemn the killing of the man who was beaten to death last month.

Hindus consider cows sacred and slaughtering the animals is banned in many states, and Modi's government wants a nationwide ban. However, beef is consumed by Muslims and other religious minorities in India.

The prime minister said Indians should ignore "irresponsible" statements by politicians - including ones made by himself - and work together.

"Both Muslims and Hindus need to fight poverty together.... The country has to stay united," he said but his comments come on the same day that members of Modi's BJP party beat a Muslim politician in the Kashmir state assembly after he served beef at a private party.

The politician - Rashid Ahmed - said he did it in protest against a ban on serving beef in the state, and opposition leader Omar Abdullah led a walkout, asking afterwards: "Do I assault everyone who eats pork or alcohol?"

Mohammad Akhlaq died after being kicked and beaten with stones by a group of men in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh state late in September, and his son was also seriously injured in the attack which has also lead to some six people being arrested.