Attack on Muslim women over beef rumour: BJP, Cong raise voice in RS

July 27, 2016

New Delhi, Jul 27: Opposition BSP and Congress today created uproar in Rajya Sabha, protesting against beating up of two Muslim women in Madhya Pradesh in the name of cow protection.

No sooner had listed papers been laid on the table of the House, Mayawati (BSP) said after beating of dalit youths in Gujarat, 'Gau Raksha' (cow protection) groups beat up two women in Madhya Pradesh over suspicion of possessing beef.

The incident at the Mandsaur railway station occurred in presence of the police which remained a mute spectator, she alleged.

BJP, on the one hand, talks of protecting the girl child and giving dignity and honour to women but on the other unleashes goons on them, she charged.

The incident in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh comes close on the heels of beating of four dalit youth in party's bastion Gujarat, she said.

She asked Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to respond to targeting of women of his community in the name of cow protection.

As she completed her submission, BSP members trooped into the Well of the House, shouting anti-government slogans. Congress members too joined them in the well.

"Mahila virodhi yeh sarkar nahi chalegi, nahi chalegi (This anti-women government will not be tolerated)", they shouted. "Dalit virodhi yeh sarkar nahi chalegi, nahi chalegi (this anti-dalit government will not be tolerated)."

Anand Sharma (Cong) asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not responded to attacks on dalits in name of 'Gau Raksha'.

"He has done 'chai-pe-charcha' (talk over tea) and 'mann-ki-baat' (straight talk from heart) but why not on this issue," he asked.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said derailing Zero Hour, where 13 members have given notices, was not right and if members wanted a discussion on the subject, they should give notice.

"You go back to your seats, I will ask the government to respond," he said urging Mayawati and Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to call back their members.

Azad said his Congress party was not principally against cow protection but was against targeting of dalits and Muslims in name of Gau Raksha.

"Let it be very clear. We are not against Gau Raksha. But in the garb of Gau Raksha, targeting dalits and Muslims is something we are against," he said.

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Anand Sharma...... modi will not respond.... He has become dumb like Vajpayee, who is bedridden and dumb since 5 years....

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Rajdhani Express Derails, 7 elephants killed after collision in Assam

News Network

December 20,2025

At least seven elephants were killed and one calf injured after a herd collided with the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam's Hojai on Saturday morning, leading to disruption of rail services.

The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express struck a herd of elephants, resulting in the derailment of the locomotive and five coaches. No passenger casualties or injuries were reported, officials said.

The New Delhi-bound train met with the accident around 2.17 am, PTI reported. The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express connects Mizoram's Sairang (near Aizawl) to Anand Vihar Terminal (Delhi).

Railway has issued helpline numbers at the Guwahati Railway Station:-

•   0361-2731621
•   0361-2731622
•   0361-2731623

The accident site is located about 126 km from Guwahati. Following the incident, accident relief trains and railway officials rushed to the spot to initiate rescue operations.

Train Services Disrupted

Sources said that due to the derailment and elephant body parts scattered on the tracks, train services to Upper Assam and other parts of the Northeast were affected.

Passengers from the affected coaches were temporarily accommodated in vacant berths available in other coaches of the train. Once the train reaches Guwahati, additional coaches will be attached to accommodate all passengers, after which the train will resume its onward journey.

The incident occurred at a location that is not a designated elephant corridor. The loco pilot, upon spotting the herd on the tracks, applied emergency brakes. Despite this, the elephants dashed into the train, leading to the collision and derailment.

Last month, an elephant was killed after being hit by a train in Dhupguri in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district. The incident took place on November 30.

The adult elephant was killed on the spot, and a calf was discovered lying injured beside the tracks.

Over 70 Elephants Killed In Train Collisions Over Last 5 Years

At least 79 elephants have died in train collisions across the country in the last five years, the Environment Ministry had informed Parliament in August.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh had said the figure is based on reports from state governments and Union Territory administrations for the period 2020-21 to 2024-25.

He said that the ministry does not maintain consolidated data on the deaths of other wild animals on railway tracks, including in designated elephant corridors.

Singh confirmed that three elephants, including a mother and her calf, were killed on July 18 this year after being hit by a speeding express train on the Kharagpur-Tatanagar section in West Bengal's Paschim Midnapore district. The incident took place near Banstala between Jhargram and Banstala stations.

The minister said several measures have been taken jointly by the Environment Ministry and the Railways to prevent such accidents.

These include imposing speed restrictions in elephant habitats, pilot projects such as seismic sensor-based detection of elephants near tracks and construction of underpasses, ramps and fencing at vulnerable points.

The Wildlife Institute of India, in consultation with the ministry and other stakeholders, has also issued guidelines titled 'Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure' to help agencies design railways and other projects in ways that reduce human-animal conflicts.

Singh added that capacity-building workshops were conducted for railway officials at the Wildlife Institute of India in 2023 and 2024 to raise awareness on elephant conservation and protection.

A detailed report titled 'Suggested Measures to Mitigate Elephant & Other Wildlife Train Collisions on Vulnerable Railway Stretches in India' had also been prepared after surveys across 127 railway stretches covering 3,452 km.

Of these, 77 stretches spanning 1,965 km in 14 states were prioritised for mitigation, with site-specific interventions suggested.

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