NEW YORK:  The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a US based advocacy group, has strongly condemned the anti-minority violence in India, in the form of a mob lynching of a Muslim man and his son in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, over mere suspicion of having eaten beef.

“Beyond the mob’s inhuman behaviour, it is alarming to note that the police have sent the meat from the victim’s refrigerator to a forensic lab to be tested, out of apparent respect for the mob’s feelings,” a statement posted on the IAMC website said.

“This effectively turns the victim into the accused, despite the fact that even if the family were in possession of beef, they were not in violation of the Uttar Pradesh Cow Protection Act,” the statement added.

The IAMC also accused the authorities for their inaction, calling on the media to “expose the larger design behind the incident”. The State Government is of Samajwadi Party (SP) & the Centre or National Government is of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), both SP and BJP have been found responsible for the mass violence that claimed over a 100 lives and resulted in the displacement of over 50,000 people in Muzaffarnagar in 2013 by The Sahay Committee.

A week ago, Mohammad Akhlaq, a resident of Bisara in Greater Noida, was dragged out of his house after a mob of over 200 people alleged he had killed a cow in his house. They beat Akhlaq to death, while his 22 year-old son Danish was injured and is in critical condition. Another son of Mohammed Akhlaq is a serving corporal in the Indian Air Force.

The IAMC said the incident was made to appear like a spontaneous act of violence by an unruly crowd but there are strong indications that this was a planned act.

Indian-American Muslim Council (IAMC) is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with chapters across the nation, “dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos”.