CPI (M) hits out at Raje government for inaction over attacks by cow vigilantes

Rajasthan has emerged as a laboratory for cow vigilantes under Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, CPI (M) leader Hannan Mollah alleged, days before the state goes to polls on December 7.

Mollah, who is the party's in-charge for Rajasthan, told PTI the issue of cow vigilantes was an electoral one in the religious minority and Dalit concentrated constituencies as people of both the communities were targeted in the name of cow protection during the Raje regime.

"Cow vigilantes have enjoyed blessings from the state machinery of the Raje government. The state witnessed the highest number of attacks on religious minorities and Dalit cattle farmers by cow vigilantes groups in the last five years. Rajasthan has become a lab for cow vigilantes. The government was silent on culprits," he alleged.

"It was Pehlu Khan's lynching by cow vigilante in Rajasthan which had brought national attention to the atrocities on cattle traders in the BJP-ruled state. The government initially didn't take any action against culprits. When people protested against the murder, only then the Raje government machinery reacted," Mollah claimed.

Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer, was lynched by cow vigilantes in Rajasthan's Alwar district when he was transporting cattle to his village in Haryana.

Mollah alleged there were hundreds of incidents of Dalit cattle farmers being attacked by a member of higher castes on the pretext of cow protection in the state during the tenure of the BJP government.

He claimed most activists of cow vigilante groups were associated with the ruling political party in the largest state of India.

"Activists of cow vigilante groups are related with members of the ruling BJP. Hence, the Raje government didn't initiate any action against the culprits," he alleged.

He claimed fear of cow vigilantes was quite visible among Dalits and religious minorities in rural areas of Rajasthan.

Mollah said 79 cow vigilante attacks had occurred in the country in last four and half years of BJP rule in which 40 people, mostly of a religious minority community, were killed and many others injured.

"The uprising of cow vigilantes groups in many parts of the country particularly in BJP ruled states is a long-term game plan of the saffron forces. To silence real issues concerning people, the plan was hatched," the CPI(M) leader claimed.

"Dalits and minority people are mainly associated with cattle farming and its trade. Hence, cow vigilantes groups and other saffron forces have targeted the age old practices of both Dalit and religious minority people," Mollah added.

(With inputs from agencies.)