Reply on why cow vigilante groups shoudn't be banned: SC to centre, six state governments
NEW DELHI: About a week after a 55-year-old Rajasthan man was killed, allegedly by 'cow vigilantes', the Supreme Court today asked the Centre and six state governments to respond to it regarding why such vigilante groups should not be banned.
The states are Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The apex court's order came on a petition filed by Congressman Shehzad Poonawalla. In addition to the Centre, the petitioner listed the six state governments as respondents.
The petition relates to 10 cases of violence in cases of alleged cow slaughter or cow smuggling. The ten cases include the lynching of Pehlu Khan, the Rajasthan man, in Alwar last Saturday, the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh in 2015, and the attacks on Dalits in Una, Gujarat last year.
In his petition, Poonawalla said cow vigilante groups have "unleashed terror on minorities and Dalits" and therefore should be banned in the same manner that the Students' Islamic Movement of India was banned.
Poonawalla said that he approached the top court because the Centre "has proven ineffective in reining in terror unleashed by these groups".
"Unfortunately in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Haryana, these vigilantes get protection or rewards from the state government and have thus earned legitimacy," the petitioner said. He added that these vigilante groups are "mere extortionists, who act under the garb of cow protection".
The states are Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The apex court's order came on a petition filed by Congressman Shehzad Poonawalla. In addition to the Centre, the petitioner listed the six state governments as respondents.
The petition relates to 10 cases of violence in cases of alleged cow slaughter or cow smuggling. The ten cases include the lynching of Pehlu Khan, the Rajasthan man, in Alwar last Saturday, the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh in 2015, and the attacks on Dalits in Una, Gujarat last year.
In his petition, Poonawalla said cow vigilante groups have "unleashed terror on minorities and Dalits" and therefore should be banned in the same manner that the Students' Islamic Movement of India was banned.
Poonawalla said that he approached the top court because the Centre "has proven ineffective in reining in terror unleashed by these groups".
"Unfortunately in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Haryana, these vigilantes get protection or rewards from the state government and have thus earned legitimacy," the petitioner said. He added that these vigilante groups are "mere extortionists, who act under the garb of cow protection".
