Una incident: CPI(M) demands ban on cow protection committees'

Condemning the attacks on Dalits in Gujarat, CPI(M) today asked the BJP government in the state to act against culprits and demanded a "ban" on activities of cow protection committees which it termed as "rabid communal outfits".
"The attack in Una has once again highlighted vicious role played by so-called gau raksha committees which are nothing but rabid communal outfits that target Muslims and Dalits engaged in cattle trading and the skinning of dead cattle.
"The Gujarat government should, apart from taking strong action against the culprits in the Una incident, ban the activities of the cow protection committees," the party said in a statement.

It also demanded the state government to instruct police to stop using "repressive" measures against those protesting "atrocity" on Dalits.
Some persons claiming to be "gau rakshaks" (cow protectors) had thrashed seven Dalit youths in Una town in Gir-Somnath district last week, alleging they had killed a cow which they were skinning. The victims claimed they were skinning the cow which had died of natural causes.
Video of the incident went viral, sparking protests. A head constable was killed yesterday after a mob attacked police in Amreli town, while some Dalit youths tried to commit suicide protesting the incident.