Cong urges PM to appeal for maintaining peace, harmony

new delhi: Expressing concern over the "current situation in the country," the Congress on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make an appeal to the people to maintain peace and harmony.

While addressing a press conference, Congress leader Alka Lamba asked why the information was not shared with chief ministers on "apprehensions of a foreign hand" in the Udaipur incident.

"The Congress is worried over the current atmosphere prevailing in the country. We urge the Prime Minister to take the initiative in this regard and come forward to make an appeal for maintaining peace and harmony in the country," Lamba said, adding that India's growth will be hampered if such an atmosphere prevails.

Lamba said that the finance minister is talking about foreign direct investment, but for this, one has to create an atmosphere of peace. "For you, FDI is Foreign Direct Investment, but FDI is 'fear, deception and intimidation for those seeking to come into the country with investment," she said, claiming that 8,000 businessmen have sought to move out of the country because of the "atmosphere of fear."

"We appeal to the Prime Minister to convene Parliament and hold discussions as 13 primary parties have appealed for maintaining peace in the country. I would urge the Prime Minister and home minister to come forward and make this appeal. When youths were on the streets against the Agnipath scheme it was expected that the prime minister would address them and their concerns. But the prime minister chose to remain silent," she alleged.

Congress' remarks come a day after leaders of all political parties in Rajasthan strongly condemned the brutal murder and appealed for peace and restraint. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had chaired an all-party meeting on the incident on Wednesday. At the meeting, the CM called the incident a "terrorist act."