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No I-cards to cow vigilantes as Punjab gau sewa panel rejects idea
The Punjab Gau Sewa Commission rejected the proposal of its Haryana counterpart for issuing identity cards to “gau raksha dals” (cow protection groups) on Tuesday and said such a step may be taken by police after verifying antecedents.
The Punjab Gau Sewa Commission rejected the proposal of its Haryana counterpart for issuing identity cards to “gau raksha dals” (cow protection groups) on Tuesday and said such a step may be taken by police after verifying antecedents.
“I have rejected this proposal (of Haryana the Gau Sewa Ayog) because several people are engaged in this job of cow protection. How can I say who is right or wrong? If we issue I-card to someone and if he does something wrong, who will be responsible?” Punjab Gau Sewa Commission chairman Kimti Lal Bhagat said.
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“There are several people, including non-governmental organisations, who are involved in cow protection. There may be some wrong persons out of them and they can misuse the card. I am not in favour of what Haryana has proposed to do it for cow protection,” he said.
Amid an uproar over cow vigilantism, the Haryana Gau Sewa Ayog has decided to carry out police verification of all members of the “gau raksha dals’ in the state and is considering issuing them identity cards.
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Asserting that the Commission would not be associated with any exercise of issuing such cards, Bhagat said he was in favour of district police chiefs issuing such I-cards.
He said people come in hordes to the commission to seek arms licence. “Why do they need weapons for cow protection? We are not going to war. If police find it fit, they can also issue licence for weapons,” he said.