A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi rebuked those indulging in atrocities on Dalits, particularly the cow vigilantes, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) vowed to
continue its work related to protection of cow even though the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) condemned attacks on Dalits. However, the Congress on Monday criticised the PM for sounding helpless and not taking action against those indulging in criminal acts.
Congress members in lok Sabha criticised PM’s
statements saying instead of shedding crocodile tears, he should take firm action against those indulging in harassment of people in the name of cow protection. Congress members also demanded a statement by the PM in the lok Sabha on the issue instead of conveying his messages through “tweet”.
Shortly after the Zero Hour, Congress members stormed the Well of the House when Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did not immediately allow party leader Mallikarjun Karge to raise the issue. The Speaker said she would allow Kharge to speak but only after she finishes with the Zero Hour list as she has not got any notice. She repeatedly appealed to the Congress members to go back to their seats.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar gestured to Kharge suggesting that a way could be found out through informal talks. But the unrelenting Congress members demanded that the PM come to the House and speak on the issue.
“He (the PM) should not shed crocodile tears. He should not tweet, but act (against those perpetrating atrocities on dalits),” the Congress MPs shouted. They later staged a walkout. For the second consecutive day, the RSS termed violent attacks on Dalits as inhuman and asked the State Governments to take action against elements trying to disturb communal harmony and trust.
“We appeal to all the sections of the society to remain aware of elements who want to disturb the environment of communal harmony and trust. We expect the administration to take speedy action against such individuals and groups who break the law,” RSS general secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi said in a statement. This was the second statement in two days by the RSS.
Joshi added that several political parties and leaders of various castes are trying to create a situation of uncertainty through ‘half-baked information’ which is not conducive to harmony.
He said RSS also would like to appeal to political parties and various heads that there is a need to normalise the situation of uncertainty through public cooperation. “By sympathising with the victims, there is a need to think that such incidents do not take place,” Joshi said in the statement.
But RSS-affiliate group VHP said it will continue to work for the protection of the cows, as they have been doing it for a long time. While declining to comment on the attacks on Dalits and Muslims by cow vigilantes, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said there was a lot of controversy over it. “We will not like to comment on the issue. However, cow protection has been going on since long. We will continue to work for it,” Jain said.
PM on Sunday had strongly rebuked perpetrators of violence on Dalits in the name of cow protection, telling them, “if you have to shoot, shoot me” but stop attacking “my Dalit brothers”. Modi had asked people to be careful against “fake cow protectors”, who were trying to create “tension and conflict” in the society and asking the states to take stringent action against them.