The apex court granted time to the Centre and the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Jharkhand to file their replies to a plea filed by Congress leader Tehseen S Poonawalla, which also sought direction to them to take action against the alleged violence by these vigilantes.
The court had on October 21 agreed to examine the plea filed by Poonawalla which said violence committed by these 'Gau Raksha' groups have reached such proportions that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently declared them as people who were "destroying the society".
It had also sought a direction to remove alleged "violent content" uploaded on social media and hosted by the cow protection groups.
The plea sought to declare as "unconstitutional" section 12 of the Gujarat Animal Prevention Act, 1954, Section 13 of Maharashtra Animal Prevention Act, 1976, and Section 15 of Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, which provides for protection to persons acting in good faith under the Act or rules.
Seeking action against the vigilantes, the petition said the atrocities committed by them were punishable under various provisions of IPC and under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989.
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