Demanding the revoking of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) which is in force in Jammu and Kashmir and condemning the ongoing attacks on Muslims and Dalits by Hindu outfits in the guise of cow protection, cadres of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) attempted to block rail traffic at Tirunelveli Railway Junction on Tuesday and courted arrest.
The protesting SDPI cadres said the uncontrolled powers awarded to the armed forces in the guise of countering terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir had led to lawless attack on innocent Muslims and hence the Union Government should withdraw the “controversial AFSPA” immediately, which alone would restore normality there.
Moreover, Muslims and Dalits were being repeatedly targeted by the hooligans in the guise of “cow protection”.
Since these anti-socials were projecting themselves as activists of Hindu outfits, the governments were not taking action against them, they charged.
“No government on earth can decide on the food to be consumed by its citizens. However, Muslims and Dalits are being attacked by the activists of Hindu outfits in the guise of ‘gau raksha’. It should be stopped by the rulers through stringent enforcement of law,” said Mubarak, state vice-president of SDPI.
A total of 147 protestors were arrested and released later.
