Congress leader on Monday accused the government of indirectly encouraging cow vigilantes and noted that there was an environment of “fear and terror” in the country.

Initiating a debate in the Lok Sabha on mob lynchings,  Mallikarjun  Kharge said: “The government is indirectly encouraging groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and gau bhakts (cow vigilantes).”

He urged the government not to turn Hindustan into “lynchistan”.

“Don’t make lynchistan out of Hindustan,” Kharge said.

He said the incidents of mob lynchings were not coming down.

Slamming the BJP governments in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, the Congress leader said: “Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh have become mob lynching centres.”

Kharge said that minorities, Dalits and women were being targetted under the Modi government.

Kharge was interrupted by BJP’s Nishikant Dubey, who said that the cases mentioned by him were subjudice and asked why he was discussing them.

BJP member Hukmdev Narayan Yadav however termed it a conspiracy against the government.

The lower house saw protests and disruptions through last week as opposition members demanded a debate on the issue, leading even to suspension of six Congress MPs for five days.