Expressing anger at self-styled “gau-rakshaks” (cow-protectors) who “run shops in the name of cow protection”, Modi urged for actions against criminals who masquerade as protectors of the cow.
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“This is an indication that the TRS would sail with the BJP in near future”, he said. Since Hinduism regards the cow as holy, these jobs have always been considered “unclean”.
The furious low caste community, called Dalits, said the young men were taking the dead cow to be skinned – a traditional occupation of the low castes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made his maiden visit to Telangana on Sunday to inaugurate Mission Bhagiratha, the flagship programme of the Telangana government. She said the cow vigilante groups were only active in states ruled by the BJP.
A wave of Dalit protests that followed prompted the head of the BJP state government in Gujarat to resign last week. Till now, a number of gau rakshaks have been killed, including Ahmedabad’s Geeta Rambhia. Again on Sunday, the PM lashed out at fake “cow vigilantes” and said state governments should take against them.
“The fake gau rakshakhs have nothing to do with cows”. “Cow will never become a burden”.
The Sangh also feels that recent incidents of cow-slaughter-related violence – the lynching of a Muslim man a year ago, attacks on Dalits in Gujarat and others – were just law and order problems that didn’t call for the “PM’s intervention”.
Many states ban cow consumption and slaughter and impose various violations, but Hindu activists claim they step in because authorities aren’t doing enough.
Questioned repeatedly over his “silence” on the sensitive issue of attacks on Dalits by alleged Hindu right-wingers, Modi said, “I would like to tell these people that if you have any problem, if you have attack, attack me”.
“Why should we exploit our Dalit brothers?”
“Great drama by Modi ji in his speech in Telangana about Dalit atrocity”. Stating that the government is giving priority to agriculture sector, he said if farmers get water, they have the capability to produce gold out of soil.
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PM Modi added, “Holding PM responsible for everything that happens at every level in the nation, it can be good politically or for TRP”. “Muslims share the pain and suffering that poor Dalits are being subjected to as they too have been attacked by the cow vigilantes”, said activist Firoz Mithiborewala.
