Wednesday, 19 July 2017

Crack down on cow vigilantes, PM tells States

Crack down on cow vigilantes, PM tells States
Vikas Pathak NEW DELHI, JULY 16, 2017 14:25 IST
UPDATED: JULY 17, 2017 01:07 IST
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, members of his Cabinet and Opposition leaders at the all-party meeting in New Delhi on July 16, 2017.   | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy
Anti-social elements spreading anarchy in the name of ‘gau’ protection: Modi

Addressing an all-party meeting a day before the monsoon session of Parliament begins on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said 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,” he said.

According to him, “These affect the image of the country. State governments should take strict action against such 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 these is not an alternative.”

From Akhlaq of Dadri to Junaid of Ballabgarh: Attacks by cow vigilantes since 2015

Mr. Modi had last spoken against cow vigilantism on June 30 at the Sabarmati Ashram, calling violence in the name of ‘gau bhakti’ antithetical to Mahatma Gandhi’s views.

On August 6, 2016, too, he had spoken out against cow vigilantes, labelling them “anti-social.”

Concerns have been widely expressed in recent times over cow vigilante attacks reported from different parts of India.

Modi warns cow vigilantes, says killing people in the name of 'gau bhakti' cannot be accepted

The meeting came hours before the customary pre-session all-party meet called by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan late in the evening.

Political corruption

Mr. Modi also brought up the issue of political corruption, days after the family of RJD chief Lalu Prasad came under the scanner of central agencies.

“In the last few decades, the image of politicians has suffered because of the actions of some political leaders. We must convince people that not all politicians are corrupt,” he said.

“What is required is clean politics and action against corrupt politicians. It is the responsibility of all political parties to take action against such tainted leaders.”

He wanted parties to unite against those people who cried political vendetta when the law was taking its own course.

The All-India Trinamool Congress, which had earlier said it would boycott this meeting amid differences with the BJP over the recent violence in West Bengal, stayed away. The Janata Dal (United) also skipped the meeting.

The meeting began at 11 a.m., with leaders from political parties and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar, among others, being present. It lasted till past 1 pm.

Opposition leaders expressed concern over the Sino-Indian stand-off, expressing the hope that the matter would be resolved soon. They also expressed concern over the disturbed situation in Kashmir.

Later, Mr. Ananth Kumar told the media that on the issue of Kashmir and China, all parties said they were with the government.

Cow vigilantes ‘anti-social’: Modi breaks his silence

“Farm distress” and the “economic burdens” on the people were also taken up. Opposition leaders took up the issue of recent attacks on minorities and Dalits.

The Prime Minister came when the meeting was on and addressed the assembled leaders for five-seven minutes, said a participant.

The issue of cow vigilantism and political corruption apart, Mr. Modi commended both sides on the dignified nature of the presidential campaign, adding that it would have been good if a consensus had been arrived at.

Mr. Modi also called upon all parties to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, which falls on August 9.


Modi asks states to crack down on cow vigilantes, calls for ‘stringent action’
Ahead of the Monsoon Session from Monday, the PM asked state governments to take strict action against cow vigilantes, and cautioned against giving the issue a political or communal colour.

INDIA Updated: Jul 17, 2017 00:14 IST
Saubhadra Chatterji
Saubhadra Chatterji 
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley, Parliamentary affairs ministers Ananthkumar and SS Ahluwalia (extreme right) with former prime minister and JD(S) president HD Deve Gowda (extreme left) during an all-party meeting ahead of monsoon session, in New Delhi on Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley, Parliamentary affairs ministers Ananthkumar and SS Ahluwalia (extreme right) with former prime minister and JD(S) president HD Deve Gowda (extreme left) during an all-party meeting ahead of monsoon session, in New Delhi on Sunday. (PTI Photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the state governments to sternly deal with those who incite violence in the garb of protecting cows, a day before the monsoon session of Parliament begins with the opposition geared up to raise the issue.

“Cow is revered as the mother in our country. Public sentiments are attached with the cow. However, people must know that there is a law to protect the cow and the violation of law is not an alternative,” Modi said, acknowledging that such violence impacts India’s image in the world.

“It has an impact on the image of the nation. State governments must deal sternly against such anti-social elements,” he said.

The PM also said, “Some anti social elements have incited violence in the name of cow protection. Those engaged in disturbing the harmony in the country are trying to take advantage of the situation,” he said at the all-party meeting convened by parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar.

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The monsoon session of Parliament will start Monday amid the latest round of tussle between the government and opposition over issues, including the atrocities related to cow vigilantism. Three days ago, a man was attacked over suspicion that he was carrying beef.

This is not the first time Modi spoke against the self-styled cow protection groups, but on Sunday the PM also tried to underline that it is the state government that must act against such hooligans and criminals, in a bid to deflect the possible Opposition attack on his party and government. “Maintaining law and order is the responsibility of State Governments and wherever these incidents are taking place, state Governments must deal firmly with it. The State Governments must also see to it that in the name of cow protection some people are settling their personal rivalry,” the PM said.

While he called upon all political parties to “condemn strongly the goondaism”, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government will be targeted over issues of Kashmir and the border stand-off with China.

The government has closed all doors for dialogue, leading to political suffocation in Kahsmir,” Azad alleged. The parties like Left, Trinamool Congress are keen to discuss the “misuse” of CBI and the “Modi government’s vendetta politics”.

CPI(M) to take up women’s quota bill, cow vigilantism

The CPI(M) declared on Sunday it would raise the issue of cow vigilantism in the House and demand the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

“Every day, the country is witnessing an incident of cow vigilantism and so many innocents are being killed in the name of cows. This issue needs to be discussed and the government should answer,” party’s general secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters in New Delhi.

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Expect political cloudbursts as Parliament’s monsoon session begins
He also demanded that the Women’s Reservation Bill be passed. “Before the Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister had promised the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill. Now the government should ensure it,” the CPI(M)leader said, referring to the proposed law that seeks to ensure 33% reservation for women in elected bodies.


He said in what was perhaps the shortest monsoon session in the history of Parliament, the government has listed 16 bills “apart from the so many bills pending in both the Houses” for the 14 working days of the session.

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