PM's tough talk on 'cow worship' irks saffron fringe

Modi's statement at Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat -- that "killing people in the name of gau bhakti (cow worship) is not acceptable" -- did not go down well with Vishwa Hindu Parishad which earlier too had taken exception to the PM's 2016 remark of “anti-socials by night and gau rakshaks by day”.

The VHP said it was against violence  but people who worship cows do not take lives of people. VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said "rakshaks (protectors) can never be bhakshaks (predators)" when asked to comment on PM condemning growing mob lynching in the name of cow protection.  

Bansal even found the use of phrase gau bhakt by the PM unsuitable as he said that cow protectors do not snuff out lives of individuals. The VHP leader said that it should not be forgotten that Mahatma Gandhi had also wished that a law on cow protection should be brought.  He described killing to protect cows as a law and order failure.

Protests in many major cities including the national capital, were organised on Wednesday to gather more voices against lynching of minorities.

Adding to skepticism, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who is out of the country, tweeted to express his dissatisfaction over Modi's position. "Too little too late. Words mean nothing when actions out do them," Gandhi posted on the social media. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee too joined the chorus and said, "Condemn killings in the name of gau raksha, just words are not enough. Modi trying to subvert democracy. The killings must stop now."

Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi took a sarcastic jibe at the PM. "Presence of Gandhiji's living spirit in Sabarmati Ashram" must have affected Modi. What he has said is absolutely right, but it should be followed by very strong action on the ground. All the perpetrators (of hate crimes) have to be caught and prosecuted and the public's confidence in (law and order) has to be revived," Gopalkrishna told a news agency.

The PM statement, stated  All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi, was a mere lip service as there has been slip between cup and lip. Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, however, denied that there was any atmosphere of fear or insecurity prevailing among the community.

"I do not think there is fear or insecurity among minorities. But whatever incidents are taking place, be it small or big, be it a criminal conspiracy, in no way it is justified. Action should be taken as per law against them," Naqvi said.