Oppn calls PM Modi’s gau rakshak comments ‘humbug’, BJP retaliates

The ruling BJP took on the opposition for terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on cow vigilantes as “absolutely humbug” and accusing the RSS of perpetrating “terror” in the name of cow protection.

The ruling BJP took on the opposition for terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on cow vigilantes as “absolutely humbug” and accusing the RSS of perpetrating “terror” in the name of cow protection.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at the second anniversary celebrations of MyGov in New Delhi on Saturday.(PTI Photo)

Questioning Modi’s “silence” on the Dadri lynching incident last year, Congress leader Manish Tewari alleged that the PM was selective in his outreach.

“Why does he not prevail upon RSS to disband the VHP? Why does he not take action against the office bearers of Bajrang Dal,” he said.

“It is his ideological co-travellers who have been perpetrating this spectre of uncertainty and terror in the name of cow lumpenism across the country, thereby whatever the Prime Minister says today is absolutely humbug and completely sanctimonious.”

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Janata Dal (United) leader Pavan Verma also targeted the PM, saying had he given a stern message earlier, the “menace” of so-called cow protectors could have been prevented.

Similarly, CPI leader D Raja criticised the ruling dispensation stating there were issues on which people expect the PM to speak, including, increasing atrocities on Dalits. “Why has the PM not uttered a single word against the atrocities committed in his own state Gujarat?”

The opposition leaders were reacting to Modi’s comments at the town hall session on Saturday that concluded the second anniversary of MyGov.in celebrations at the Indira Gandhi stadium.

“People who have set up shops in the name of gau raksha (cow protection) make me angry,” Modi had said in his first public denouncement of cow vigilantes, some of who flogged Dalits in his home state Gujarat.

Read | As it happened: Modi addresses town hall event in Delhi

Defending the PM, the BJP fired back at its political rivals, saying it was a “classic example of political bankruptcy”.

BJP national secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said the opposition was attempting to hide its own faults by pointing fingers at the Centre, even though they had nothing against the Modi.

“There cannot be more direct censure by the Prime Minister in expressing his displeasure to what anti-social elements are doing in the name of ‘Gau Raksha’,” Singh said.

Calling on the nation to understand the vision of PM Modi when he launched ‘Swachita Abhiyan’, Singh explained that the death of cows were mostly related to the plastic garbage they feed on.

“However, the opposition cannot understand the constructive mind of the Prime Minister and criticise the programme and the benefits... Prime Minister has rightly pointed that an issue of law and order cannot be attributed to the Center or Prime Minister as law and order is a state subject,” he countered.