Gujarat BJP finds poll plank in Kerala cow slaughter issue

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in election-bound Gujarat has pounced on the Congress party for the Kerala incident of a cow slaughter allegedly by a few workers of the opposition party there.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani came down heavily on the Congress party by putting out a tweet late on Monday night: "By slaughtering cow in Kerala, Congress has shown its true face. Vinaash Kaale Viprit Buddhi (One loses mind when the end is near). Congress now is a sinking ship."

He followed it up with another tweet: "Gujarat Congress must answer on cow slaughter by Congress in Kerala."

The BJP has been fighting on various fronts trying to obviate the damage from agitations by Patidars, Dalits and OBCs on multiple issues.

At such time, the Kerala cow slaughter issue could prove handy for the ruling party to corner the Congress in Gujarat.

The Chief Minister's statements on social media were followed up by a protest video that is being circulated on multiple social media platforms.

The video announces that the people of Gujarat would not forgive Congress (in the forthcoming Assembly polls) for "the sin" committed in Kerala. The video also uses the Congress election symbol 'hand' with a 'no entry' sign embossed on it.

The video begins with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: "Protecting cows would protect the human race too", the 88-second video moves on to show what it calls 'misdeed' of 'other Gandhi' and links the Kerala cow slaughter to Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi.

"Gandhi as surname but action like butcher," says the audio juxtaposing pictures of Rahul Gandhi and Congress workers seen in the cow slaughter video from Kerala.

The commentary calls the action an insult not just to Mahatma's ideals but also an assault on the sentiments of crores of Hindus!

Meanwhile, a group of people calling themselves 'Hindu Yuva Vahini' on late Monday night vandalised the Congress office in Vadodara and burnt an effigy of Congressman involved in slaughter of cow.

They are also reported to have pelted stones at the Congress office.

--IANS

desai/pgh/