Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Many opposition members in Rajya Sabha stormed the well today qustioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” over violence against Dalits and Muslims by alleged Gao Rakshak, the cow vigilantes.
The MPs were outraged over latest report that two Muslim women in Madhya Pradesh were beaten up for allegedly carrying beef they intended to sell. This alleged incident has occurred a little over two weeks after some Dalit youths in Gujarat’s Una allegedly by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow.
BSP chief Mayawati raised the issue of violence against Dalits and Muslims by alleged cow vigilantes. She said that “inaction” against them by the central government and the governments of BJP-ruled states has emboldened the perpetrators. She was soon joined by Congress members who also protested on the same issue.
“The BJP raises the slogan ‘Mahilaon ke samman mein, BJP maidan mein’ slogan, yet in BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh women thrashed on beef rumours,” Mayawati said. She was referring to the ruling party’s slogan that says it urges respect towards women. She said the BJP isn’t following its own slogan.
Congress party MPs then took up the issue saying Dalits and Muslims are increasingly becoming targets of violence. “We agree that cows should be protected but we are against using cow protections as an excuse to target Dalits+ and Muslims,” Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress said.
Minister of state for minority affairs Mukhtar Naqvi said “Violence in any state is condemnable, we don’t justify it, but the Madhya Pradesh government took action on the issue that Mayawatiji spoke about,”