NEW DELHI: Many outraged opposition Parliamentarians stormed the well of the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday morning, to protest Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” on violence against Dalits and Muslims by alleged cow vigilantes.
The MPs were also up in arms following news reports earlier on Wednesday that two Muslim women in Madhya Pradesh were beaten up for allegedly carrying beef they intended to sell. This alleged incident has occurred a little over two weeks after some Dalit youths in Gujarat’s Una taluka+ were flogged, allegedly by cow protection vigilantes+ , for skinning a dead cow.
In the RS on Wednesday, BSP chief Mayawati+ raised the issue of violence against Dalits and Muslims by alleged cow vigilantes+ , and what she called “inaction” against them by the central government and the governments of BJP-ruled states. She was soon joined by Congress members who also protested on the same issue.
“The BJP raises the slogan ‘Mahilaon ke samman mein, BJP maidan mein’ slogan, yet in BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh women thrashed on beef rumours,” Mayawati said. She was referring to the ruling party’s slogan that says it urges respect towards women. She said the BJP isn’t following its own slogan.
Congress party MPs then took up the issue saying Dalits and Muslims are increasingly becoming targets of violence. “We agree that cows should be protected but we are against using cow protections as an excuse to target Dalits+ and Muslims,” Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress said.
“Violence in any state is condemnable, we don’t justify it, but the Madhya Pradesh government took action on the issue that Mayawatiji spoke about,” said the BJP’s MA Naqvi, who’s minister of state for minority affairs.
Bureau Report
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