Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, spoke up against violence carried out by cow vigilantes and said state governments should take “stringent action” against such "hooliganism".
The prime minister also sought the support of opposition parties in tackling "communal violence" in the name of cow protection, and deprecated attempts at giving political or communal colour to the issue.
"All political parties should collectively denounce hooliganism in the name of cow protection. The state governments should take stringent action against such anti- social elements," Modi said.
Without naming any specific victim of violence in the name of cow portection, in a series of tweets he said that killing by cow vigilantes is affecting the country’s image.
(Some anti-social elements have turned cow protectionism as the medium of spreading chaos. They are spoiling the harmony in the country.)
(It’s effect on the country's image is suffering. State governments should take drastic action against anti-social elements.)
(Cow is treated as a mother and it is an emotive issue. But we have to understand that there are laws governing cow protection and breaking it is not an alternative.)
(Law and order is the responsibility of the State Government to maintain and wherever such events take place, the State Governments should strictly deal with them.)
(All political parties should take a stand against such hooliganism.)
He told an all-party meeting on the eve of the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament that maintaining law and order was the responsibility of state governments, which should take strict action against perpetrators of such incidents.
The statements assume significance in context of the recent incidents of violence in different parts of the country in the name of cow protection.
Opposition parties have attacked the BJP over the cases of cow vigilantism in which Muslims and Dalits have often been targeted. These parties have also planned to raise the issue during the Parliament session starting tomorrow.
The prime minister also urged all parties to extend their support to the government in fighting corruption.
Apparently hinting at Trinamool Congress and RJD on the issue of corruption, the prime minister said the political class should join hands against those who seek an escape route by dubbing action against them in graft cases as a political conspiracy.
"When law takes its course against those who loot the nation, we have to unite against those who seek an escape route by dubbing such an action as a political conspiracy," the Prime Minister tweeted.
Among opposition leaders who attended the meeting were Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Farooq Abdullah (NC) and D Raja (CPI).
However, no one from the JD(U) or the Trinamool Congress was present. TMC had announced it would boycott the meeting amid recriminations between it and the BJP over the recent violence in West Bengal.
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