Ban Gaurakshak samiti, they are spreading terror: Sitaram Yechury

CPI(M) on Saturday accused the Centre of promoting Gaurakshak Samiti (Cow protection groups) to gain "political advantage" in 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and demanded a complete ban on them, saying volunteers of such organisations were spreading terror and have become law unto themselves.

"Gaurakshak Samiti are spreading terror in the name of protection of cows. States have legislations for protection of cows. There are police and administration to deal with such matters but such Samiti are acting like a law unto themselves," CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters at a press conference here.

He also attacked RSS and organisations associated to it for creating an atmosphere of fear in the name of Gauraksha (protection of cows) and said, Dalits were being targeted and this would not be tolerated.

"Dalits are being targeted in the name of Gauraksha and this will not be tolerated. A demonstration will be held in Delhi on September 16 and our party will support it," he said.

On the issue of RSS being responsible for assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, he said RSS as an organisation may not be responsible but an individual associated with it was.

"Sardar Patel had said about RSS that activities sponsored by Sangh and atmosphere created by it has claimed many lives with latest being Mahatma," he said.

Yechury accused the the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre for failing to control inflation and handle issues of farmers and labourers.

"BJP had promised that minimum support price higher would be fixed higher than the input cost incurred by the farmers, but the decision has not been implemented yet, which is one of the major issues of the peasants," he said.

The suicide rate of farmers has increased 26 per cent since 2014 "but the government seems to be not concerned about it".

He said Modi government has written off bad debts of Rs 1.12 lakh crore of corporate sector in two years, but when it comes to waiving loans of the farmers, the government refuses to do so saying "it has no resources".

"In the last three months, industrial production increased by mere 0.7 per cent while negative growth was registered in manufacturing sector. Only one per cent of employable youths were given employment last year," he also said.