PM Modi’s remarks against cow vigilantes are insulting, says Pravin Togadia

Togadia, who had called for a press conference here went on to ask the government to make his dossier as he too was a gau rakshak. In a sharp attack on Modi, VHP leader Praveen Togadia told reporters here that the PM calling cow vigilantes (gau rakshaks) thugs has disappointed those who voted him to power in 2014.

The VHP leader assured the “law-abiding gau rakshaks of all help, including taking care of their families, if they were targeted by state governments due to the “racially- motivated” advisory by the central government”.

Among the larger Hindutva organisations, the RSS had come out in support of the prime minister to defuse public outrage and minimise the impact of cow vigilantism on Schedule Castes ahead of the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana.

On 6 August, while addressing his first Townhall, the prime minister finally broke his silence on Dalit atrocities and said that he gets angry with those “running shops” in the name of cow protection and that 80% of these individuals do “illegal activities” at night.

“Rather than appreciating Hindu efforts to save cows and initiating a honest dialogue., terming 80% of them “anti-social” and “goondas” is an insult to all those who have dedicated their lives to protect cows”, Togadia said. “The VHP requests the head of the nation to explain this statement”. “PM sympathises and says they are his innocent children who need employments”, he added.

Expressing “utmost dissatisfaction and agony” over Modi’s remarks, VHP’s acting president Pravin Togadia said that instead of appreciating efforts of Hindus in protecting cows and initiating a honest dialogue with these “simple gau rakshaks”, Modi termed 80 per cent of them “anti-social”.

Togadia sought an immediate and complete ban on beef exports, claiming it has increased by 44 per cent over the past four years.

Togadia demanded that the government should immediately bring a legislation to stop cow slaughter in the country, as it is still allowed in a few states. “Here, the dossiers are being made on Hindu rakshaks (protectors), but not on cow killers”, Togadia said.