Tanzania’s MP voices pain on cow vigilantism

Indian origin leader says he raised matter with Swaraj

Remarks on cow vigilantism by Tanzanian MP of Indian origin Salim Hassan Turky on Tuesday sparked a controversy as he described cow vigilantism as a “nasoor” ( the Hindi word for a festering wound) for the country.

On the sidelines of the PIO Parliamentarian Conference, Mr Turky, who has Gujarati Muslim roots, told reporters, “People are being killed. This is not healthy for the nation. The government is quiet. This is very dangerous for this nation. I raised the issue with Ms Sushma Swaraj one on one.”

Tanzanian MP of Indian origin Salim Hasan Turki on Tuesday said he had raised the issue of cow vigilantism and resultant danger to India’s pluralist ethos with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in a separate meeting. Mr Turki, who is of Gujarati Muslim origin, participated in the PIO Parliamentarian Conference in the capital, but refrained from mentioning the issue in his address on the dais.

He lavished praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but said he had told Ms Swaraj that cow vigilantism was a “nasoor” ( the Hindi word for a lifethreatening situation) for the country.

Speaking later to a few reporters, he said, “People are being killed. This is not healthy for the nation. The government is quiet. This is very dangerous for this nation. I raised the

People are being killed. This is not healthy for the nation. The govt is quiet. This is very dangerous for this nation. I raised the issue with Ms Sushma Swaraj one- on- one. — Salim Hasan Turki, Tanzanian MP

issue with Ms Sushma Swaraj one- on- one,” the MP said. “If my message is reaching the PM, it should be taken very seriously,” he added, pointing out that India had always been well- known for the amity in which people of different faiths lived.

The MP said he had, however, been told by the Indian government that India is a tolerant country and that there have been very few cases of cow vigilantism and that the respective governments had acted promptly to punish the culprits. He said he was also told that the situation in this regard is well under control.

Asked why he had not raised the matter from the dais when he was called upon to speak as a delegate, the MP said he did not want to spread negative vibes from the podium and bring a bad name to the country’s image in front of the other delegates. He also made it clear that despite being a Tanzanian MP, he continued to have a strong emotional bond with India as he was of Indian origin.

Mr Turki told reporters that his forefathers had migrated from the Kutch region of Gujarat to Tanzania about 185 years ago.

The Tanzanian legislator also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the various steps taken for the welfare of the country.