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Indian president appeals for tolerance after mob lynches Muslim over beef rumors

Xinhua, October 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday appealed for tolerance, endurance and plurality in the country, days after a Muslim air force officer's father was lynched by a mob at a village near the national capital over rumors that he slaughtered a cow and ate beef.

"We can't allow core values of our civilization to be wasted. The core values are that civilization has celebrated diversity, promoted and advocated tolerance, endurance and plurality," Mukherjee said at a function in his official residence Rashtrapati Bhawan.

"Many ancient civilizations have fallen. Despite aggression after aggression, our civilization has survived because of our core civilization values. If we keep that in mind, nothing can prevent our democracy from moving ahead."

The horrific incident in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh's Bisada village, barely 50 km from the national capital, sparked nationwide outrage. Some 10 people, including the son of a ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leader, have been arrested by the police for killing the 58-year-old man.

"Be it the state government or the central government, strongest possible action will be taken against those who try to break communal harmony in the country," Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in the morning.

However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not yet reacted to the incident. Endi