Reacting to Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Vinay Katiyar's and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar's controversial comments in the wake of Friday's lynching at Alwar in Rajasthan, Shashi Tharoor said, It is high time that the mouth of such hate speakers must be shut. The Congress leader said, The cow & beef have just become an excuse to attack people because they represent the idea of the other, which some people in Sangh Pariwar is unable to accept.” In a major embarrassment for the BJP, Vinay Katiyar on July 23 said,The incident of mob lynching in Alwar is highly condemnable but people from the Muslim community should abstain from touching cows and provoke aggressive Hindus.” RSS leader Indresh Kumar speaking at the inauguration of Jagran Manch in Ranchi stroked a controversy and said, "Lynchings will stop if people don't eat beef. In Mecca and Medina killing cow is a crime. Can we pledge not to kill cows? If we can pledge this, our problem of mob lynching will be solved.