Act against cow vigilantes involved in violence

The apex court has rightly asked all States and Union Territories to appoint nodal police officers district-wise to act against cow vigilante groups that engage in violence and mayhem. They should also be entrusted with prosecuting all those cow vigilantes, who are involved in violence. Four BJP-ruled States — Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Gujarat — accepted the apex court's suggestion to appoint dedicated nodal police officers in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to prevent cow vigilantes or gau rakshaks, as they call themselves, from "taking the law or becoming the law unto themselves." SC has rightly asked the state and central governments to act against cow vigilantes, perpetrating violence in society. Since the Narendra Modi-led NDA govt. came to power in 2014, there has been an unexpected rise in violence against Muslim cattle traders in the country in the name of protecting the cow. Cow slaughter has already been banned in many states of the country. It must be banned. But in the name of protecting the cow, unleashing violence against Muslims and Dalits is not acceptable. It is the duty of the state govt. to ensure the safety of life and property of the citizen. State govt. must also be made responsible to prevent violence in the name of cow protection. Central govt. must also act against the state govt., which fails to protect the lives and property of the citizens from the so-called cow protection group or Gaurakshaks. Central govt. should be very much serious to act against the states, which fail to enforce the rule of law and protect innocent lives, which are lost in the name of cow protection by cow vigilantes. The apex court has rightly asked the state govt. to appoint a nodal police officer district-wise in the state with the task of ensuring that no violence takes in the name of cow protection. Most of the violences in the name of cow protection by vigilantes have taken place in the BJP-ruled states. That is why the Central govt. should be extra-cautious to stop violence in society in the name of cow protection by the vigilantes. The senseless killing of Mohammad Aflaq over beef rumour in a Noida village, cattle trader Pehlu Khan in Rajasthan on Highway, a Muslim boy stabbed to death on a Faridabad bound train over the allegation of beef in Haryana and several other incidents like these in Jharkhand are enough for the court to put the state and Central govt. on notice. As the ruling BJP provides at least moral support to cow vigilantes despite PM Narendra Modi's warning time and again to them, it is a great matter of great concern for all law abiding people of the nation that violence continued to take place unabated. Undoubtedly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed strong observation against the so-called cow vigilantes and warned them seriously, but it is surprising that this made no impact on them. It is also beyond any doubt that so-called Gau Rakshaks are the staunch supporters of BJP and have a strong attachment with its doting parent the RSS. The apex court appears to have taken all activities of the BJP govt. at the Centre and in the states in regard to the taking action against the cow vigilantes in view while asking them to crack down on cow vigilantes involved in violence. The state and the Central govt must be made responsible for to check any violence in the name of cow protection. Protecting cow is good, but the killing of the innocent people in its name is highly reprehensible.