With reference to Kiran Rathee and Archis Mohan's report, "Modi locks horns with cow brigade" (August 7), Prime Minister Narendra Modi's salvo to self-styled bovine protectors for two consecutive days after a long silence is significant.
Hundreds of such self-proclaimed vigilante groups sprouting in Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are trying to indulge in economic terrorism by targeting cattle dealers. Gau Raksha Dal (GRD) activists have declared their intention to jeopardise the traditional trade in animals and animal products run by large sections of the Dalit and Muslim population. In connivance with the police, GRD activists are allegedly running extortion rackets.
Even as the prime minister has criticised a large section of the GRD for its insidious cocktail of business and religion, he has tried to appease it by differentiating between fake and genuine cow protectors, in compliance with the Sangh Parivar's agenda of a cow protection movement. However, by making this distinction, Modi is supporting the group's activities, condemning only their excesses.
The flogging of Dalits in Gujarat over their act of skinning dead cows will likely rock the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) boat in next year's Assembly elections in UP, Punjab and Gujarat.
BJP President Amit Shah, whose party benefited from the Dalit vote bank in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, has lately been losing his grip over it. This is apparent from the fact that his move to hold a Dalit conference in Agra was aborted.
Modi is now trying to control the damage. But he has said that the onus of punishing errant cow protectors is on state governments to avoid embarrassment.
Buddhadev Nandi Bishnupur
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