A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the State Governments to take strict action against cow vigilantes indulging in violence, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar on Monday said that no one will be allowed to take law in their own hands in the name of cow protection in the State.
“Maintaining the law and order situation is the priority of the State Government and action would be taken against those who take law in their own hands in Haryana,” said Manohar lal, while talking to the mediapersons after casting his vote during presidential polls at Haryana Vidhan Sabha here.
When asked about Haryana Government’s decision to give identity cards to cow vigilantes (gau rakshaks) in the State, the Chief Minister said that if such cards are issued, it would be done in consideration of the law and order situation. As per the data compiled by Haryana Gau Sewa Aayog, there are more than 200 gau raksha dals in the State. The BJP led State Government’s decision to provide ‘identity cards’ for gau rakshaks had attracted sharp criticism from various quarters.
last month, the Faridabad lynching case had also triggered a nation-wide outrage with opposition parties accusing the ruling BJP for deteriorating law and order situation in Haryana and killings in the name of cow protection.
A young Muslim boy Junaid was killed onboard a Delhi-Mathura passenger train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations while his brothers, Hashim and Sakir, were injured by a mob which also allegedly hurled slurs against them. His brothers had said that the attackers had taunted and repeatedly called them “anti-nationals” and “beef eaters”.
In the past, several videos had also surfaced showing self proclaimed gau rakshaks thrashing minorities for allegedly possessing beef in Haryana. In one such viral video, a Muslim youth was beaten up by three gau rakshaks in Sohna for allegedly trying to smuggle beef in Mewat while in another video, gau rakshaks were seen forcibly feeding cow dung to two alleged beef smugglers in Faridabad last year.
With such random acts of violence by cow vigilante groups (gau rakshaks) and cases of cow smuggling, the BJP led Haryana Government in its first half tenure has remained under fire from opposition –Congress and INlD.
Haryana Government had in 2015 enforced Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gau Samvardhan Act 2015 making cow slaughter punishable with rigorous imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing an all-party meeting a day before had said that the State Governments should take strict action against cow vigilantes indulging in violence. “Some anti-social elements have made cow protection a medium for spreading anarchy. People involved in disturbing harmony in the country are also taking advantage of it,” the PM had said.