The Bharatiya Janata Party is trying to create a “communal situation” in the country, said Nationalist Congress Party Chief Shared Pawar on Monday.

His statement came amid a wave of violence between Hindus and Muslims in Delhi, Vadodara, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Goa. Two persons have died in the clashes – one each in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh – while several, including police officers, have been injured.

“The BJP and its associates are trying to create a communal situation in the country,” said Pawar in a tweet. “We are working to create awareness among the people [and] create an environment of harmony.”

He expressed concern over the rise of sectarian ideology in the country.

Pawar also said that the Maharashtra government will form a referendum over the rising prices of edible oil, petrol, diesel and gas. He added that the increasing cost of fuels has become a “nuisance to the common man”.

The Opposition members want to discuss these matters at a joint meeting, Pawar said.

“West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to me, asking me and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take the initiative,” he said in his tweet. “We will talk to the other leaders [of the party] and make a decision. However, no date has been fixed for this.”

Opposition leaders from 13 political parties had issued a joint statement on Saturday condemning Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence on the rise in communal violence in the country. Pawar and his party were amongst the signatories.

Pawar is in Bengaluru since Monday for a two-day visit to build his party base in the state. He said that his party is now aiming for a national presence.