Modi's words on cow vigilantes 'hypocritical rhetoric', says farmers' body

The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of uttering "hypocritical rhetoric" on the violence unleashed by cow vigilantes and accused him of "running with the hare and hunting with the hounds".

Condemning Modi for "empty hypocritical rhetoric" over "barbaric violence unleashed by self-styled Gaurakshaks patronised by the Sangh Parivar", it said he maintained silence when continuous incidents of organised lynching happened in the name of cow protection.

"The close links of many of the people involved in the attacks with the BJP and Sangh Parivar have also been exposed from time to time. No action has been taken against the perpetrators of the crime so far," it said in a statement.

"Rather than take action against the culprits, the effort has been to harass the victims of such attacks by filing cases against them on the basis of false charges.

"The culprits in the killing of Pehlu Khan and named in the FIR are yet to be arrested and so are the culprits in other cases of lynching. A case of cow theft has been charged against the slain victim and no compensation provided to the victim's family."

The Kisan Sabha urged Modi "to stop the hypocrisy and take action on barbaric cow vigilante groups as well as provide compensation to the victims of their attacks".

It also criticized Modi for claiming that the cow was treated like a Mother.

"While individuals are free to have their own beliefs and opinions, a Prime Minister is constitutionally bound to promote scientific temper. He should desist from making such statements."

It said the setting up of a Committee for Scientific Validation and Research on Panchagavya with wide terms of reference, filling it with people with RSS-VHP links and seeking to involve government departments, IIT Delhi and research institutes was aimed at providing employment to their cadre and imposing their views upon citizens.

"There are already institutions of national repute which are carrying out research on Indian breeds and also on manure which are however starved of funds."

The Kisan Sabha accused the Modi government of trying to communalise the society and promote corporate interests by bringing a notification restricting cattle trade.