AIKS demand PM takes action against cow vigilante groups

A CPI(M)-backed farmers' body today alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence over atrocities on Dalits only in view of forthcoming assembly polls and demanded that he take "strong deterrent" action against perpetrators concerned instead of speaking "empty" words.
Referring to Gujarat's Una incident, in which a group of Dalit youth was flogged allegedly for skinning a dead cow, the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) also demanded the government to ban activities of vigilante groups of cow protectors even as action is taken against them.
"With elections to different states due in few months, the Prime Minister finally broke his silence and made some melodramatic statements criticising these vigilante groups as anti-socials.

"His own record as Gujarat Chief Minister and even later to encourage such groups and create communal polarisation during elections has rightly led people to question his sincerity and demand strong deterrent action rather than empty words," AIKS general secretary Hannan Mollah and president Amra Ram said in a joint statement.
Noting two Dalits were beaten up in Andhra Pradesh within two days of Modi condemning the alleged atrocities on Dalits, the duo asked the government to ban activities of vigilante groups in the name of cow protection.
The AIKS and its fraternal organisations will march in solidarity and take part in August 15 Dalit Asmita Rally, being organised under the banner of Una Dalit Atyachar Ladayee Samiti to protest the Gujarat incident.

Denouncing attacks on Dalits on August 6 during a Town Hall-style address marking second anniversary of his government's MyGov initiative last week, Modi had said he felt enraged at such "anti-social elements" who indulged in crimes by the night and masqueraded as cow protectors by the day.
Addressing a public rally in Telangana a day later, he had asked people to beware of its 'fake' protectors trying to divide society and the country and asked the states to severely punish them.