Responding to questions on reports of alleged violence against people eating beef and assault on two Muslim women carrying buffalo meat in Madhya Pradesh, State Department Spokesman John Kirby said, "We stand in solidarity with the people and Government of India in supporting exercise of freedom of religion and expression and in confronting all forms of intolerance."
"We're obviously concerned by reports of rising intolerance and violence...As we do in countries facing such problems around the world, we urge the government to do everything in its power to protect citizens and to hold the perpetrators accountable," he said.
In an instance of cow vigilantism earlier this week, two Muslim women who were carrying buffalo meat were assaulted by people at a railway station in Mandsaur on suspicion that it was beef in the presence of police which arrested the duo.
The incident came close on the heels of the attack on dalit youths in Gujarat by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow.