In the wake of communal violence in West Bengal and Bihar, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday questioned the “silence” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter.

Sibal appealed to the people of the country to put a stop to the “burning of Bengal and Bihar, and to the seeds of hatred” which, he said, can only benefit politicians and political ideologies. The ordinary man becomes a victim of this hatred, he said in a statement. “I want the PM (Modi) to speak up, I want the home minister to speak up and condemn the violence. It is unfortunate that in the midst of this violence neither of them have spoken, why are they quiet,” he asked.