Cow protection business makes me angry: Modi

BREAKING SILENCE Prime Minister urges states to prepare dossier on vigilantes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lashed out at self–styled cow protectors, saying people who have set up shop in the name of ‘gau raksha’ make him very angry.

Modi’s remarks at a town hallstyle event in New Delhi are his first on a raging controversy over attacks against Muslims and Dalits on suspicion of slaughtering cows or smuggling beef — banned in several Indian states. Cows are revered animals for Hindus.

“People who have set up shop in the name of gau raksha (cow protection) make me angry,” Modi said in his interaction with citizens to mark two years of MyGov, a major e-governance initiative by his government.

“I have seen some people involved in anti-social activities at night and donning the garb of cow protectors in the morning. The states should prepare dossiers of such cow protectors...70-80% will be those who indulge in anti-social activities and try to hide their sins by pretending to be cow protectors,” Modi said.

Few hours after the event, the Prime Minister tweeted on the issue: “The sacred practice of cow worship & the compassion of Gau Seva can’t be misused by some miscreants posing as Gau Rakshaks (sic)”.

“There is absolutely no need for anyone to take the law in his PM Narendra Modi with the contributors to the Mann Ki Baat Radio Programme and the MyGov platform in New Delhi on Saturday. or her hands & disturb the spirit of harmony & togetherness.”

Opposition parties had criticised Modi for not speaking out against such incidents and say that his silence was encouraging fringe groups to take the law into their own hands.

In September last year, a 55-year-old Muslim man was lynched and his son seriously injured by a mob over allegations of cow slaughter at Bisada village in Uttar Pradesh’s Dadri, sparking a nationwide debate on religious intolerance under the BJP regime.

The Congress said Modi’s comments lacked conviction.

“The PM is angry but when will these shops be closed? Need action not just words,” the party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

More cows die from eating waste plastic dumped in garbage than are slaughtered, the Prime Minister said.

PTI