Civil rights activists on Monday flayed the BJP government in Rajasthan for what they described as a free run cow vigilantes were enjoying in the State.
At a “national dharna” outside the Assembly demanding justice for dairy farmer Pehlu Khan, who was lynched allegedly by cow vigilantes, they said an atmosphere of terror was being created to “consolidate the majority community.”
The six main accused named in the first information report were being “completely protected” by the police because of their affiliation to the Bajrang Dal, the VHP and the RSS, the activists alleged. They wondered why Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had not uttered a single word on the serious crime.
“Initially, it was the election campaign period for the Dholpur by-poll. But now that the polls have been won, despite Pehlu Khan’s death, [speaking on] this issue is not going to affect the ruling party’s image,” said People’s Union for Civil Liberties State president Kavita Srivastava.
Slogans such as Gau Rakshak Nahi Nar Bhakshak Hain (They are not cow protectors, but man-eaters) were raised at the venue. Besides the civil rights groups, political parties such as the CPI, the CPI(M), the Samajwadi Party and the Social Democratic Party of India, labour organisations and women’s groups were also represented. The dharna will continue till Wednesday
In the Assembly, Leader of the Opposition Rameshwar Dudi alleged during zero hour that VHP and Bajrang Dal activists had thrashed Pehlu Khan and he had succumbed to the injuries. Dissatisfied with the reply of Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, Congress members trooped to the well of the House.
Meanwhile, 23 former IAS officers of the 1968 batch have, in a letter to Ms. Raje, expressed concern at the government’s failure to deal with the lynchers.
