Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday disapproved the efforts to link “Gau Raksha” (cow protection) with violence and said the “legal and virtuous work” of cow-protection and promotion would continue as before in the interests of the people.
Addressing the annual Dussehra rally, Bhagwat said, “It is unfair to link the cow protectors or entire activity of cow protection with violent incidences or communal feelings without knowing or neglecting the facts. Many followers of Muslim faith are also involved in cow protection, promotion and management of gaushalas”.
Maintaining that the “nefarious” campaign going on against the cow-protection unnecessarily created tension among the people of different religions, Bhagwat said: “In such a situation, cow-protectors and promoters who are piously involved in the activity should not worry or get distracted with the well intentioned statements by highly placed people in the Government or remarks made by the Supreme Court. People who are criminals and involved in violent activities should be bothered about that”.
Charging that some vested interests were misinterpreting these statements to influence the larger public opinion, Bhagwat advised the Government and administration to stay away from such misinterpretation and should ensure that the criminals get penalised and the innocents are not troubled.
“The legal and virtuous work of cow-protection and cow-promotion will go on in the interest of the people and will increase in coming days. It will also be the apt answer to the situation. It will also be the apt answer to the situation,” the RSS chief said.
Stressing that cow-based farming was the easiest way out for poison free and less capital intensive agriculture, Bhagwat said: “The medicinal value of cow-dung and urine for human being and animals and agricultural value with use in developing fertilisers and pest controllers that improve the soil health and save us from side effects”.
“In our Sanskriti, cow is an article of reverence. Cow protection is also included in Directive Principles of our Constitution and many states ruled by different political parties at different times have formulated laws regarding the same,” he said.
Bhagwat said that the cow smuggling had emerged as a serious issue in all states and especially, on the Bangladesh border. “In such a scenario, activities of cow-protection and cow promotion become more valuable. All these activities are undertaken by the activists within the legal and Constitutional framework,” he said.
Bhagwat said that the activists operating within the legal and Constitutional framework were not involved in the recent acts of violence and atrocities. “On the contrary many activists who were peacefully involved in cow protection were attacked and killed. This issue is neither discussed nor being inquired,” he said.