Don’t endorse cow vigilantism; ban gau rakshaks: SDPI tells Siddaramaiah

Mangaluru, May 6: The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has accused the Congress led Karnataka government of indirectly supporting cow vigilantism by defending law.

The criticism comes amidst romours that the state government defended a law for protection of 'gau rakshaks' in the Supreme Court. However, chief minister Siddaramaiah later clarified that his government neither endorse cow vigilantism nor there exists a law to protect the cow vigilantes.

“Our government in Karnataka has never supported any kind of vigilantism. Misrepresentation of facts by certain media houses is unfortunate. Laws here are backed by a strong enforcement mechanism. Strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to disrupt social harmony in Karnataka,” Siddaramaiah tweeted.

Meanwhile, in a media release, SDPI state general secretary Abdul Latheef stated that gau rakshaks, who take law into hands and create rift between communities, should be banned.

“Dalits, backward and minority communities are being attacked frequently in the name of protection of cows. The law that ensures protection for gau rakshaks is being misused in the state,” the release stated.

“The recent incident of attack on Korag family in Udupi district is a testimony to the fact that the law is being misused. Does the state government consider the lynching of Praveen Poojary by gau rakshaks an act of good faith? Hence, the government should consider only those farmers, who rear cows, as gau rakshaks," Latheef stated urging for a ban on gau rakshaks, who torture dalits, minority and backward classes.