Former CJI Lodha 'Shaken' by Killings Over Cow Protection, Love Jihad

New Delhi: Former Chief Justice of India, RM Lodha on Sunday raised concerns over the growing trend of brutal killings in the name of ‘cow protection’ and ‘love jihad’. He also called out on the threats to artistic freedom in the backdrop of the raging controversy over ‘Padmavati’.

Speaking at an event on Human Rights Day, the former CJI also said that he feels the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been rendered ineffective and is nothing more than a “toothless tiger”.

An Indian Express report quoted Lodha as saying, “In the name of cow protection, human beings were slaughtered. Cow vigilantes are mushrooming everywhere. Sedition charges are being invoked against activists. Cartoonists, actresses and students are charged with sedition charges.”

Two days ago the nation was outraged by a brutal killing in Rajasthan’s Rajsmand, where a Muslim labourer was hacked with an axe and later burnt alive over alleged “love jihad”. This follows the raging debate over the Kerala love jihad case.

Lodha on Sunday raised a pertinent question: “Should religion be a factor when two adults fall in love?”

He said, “People have been killed in the name of love jihad” and added that “the violators of human rights are not accountable to society” but that “there is laxity in the police action. This question is shaking me every day.”

Criticising the lack of police action in all cases of brutality, Lodha said it is “shaking me every day”.