Gau-rakshaks are 'victims not tyrants': VHP

NEW DELHI: Supporting cow protectors or 'gau-rakshaks', the VHP today said they are "victims not tyrants", adding that the strong meat lobby is trying to malign the holy vow of cow protection.

"In last 10 years more than 50 policemen and gau-rakshaks (cow protectors) were killed by the cow killers. These killers or jehadis have brutally murdered the innocent committed for the cause of cow protection," Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) International joint secretary Surendra Jain said.

Stating that there is no place for violence in the holy resolve to protect the cow, Jain added but everyone including a cow protector has right to self-defence.

Cautioning against the conspiracy towards maligning the holy vow of cow-protection by the meat lobby, Jain said, "Cow protectors are victims not tyrants as some people are trying to establish".

VHP's remarks in support of cow protectors, comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that killing people in the name of cow protection is not acceptable.

Taking on the organisers of the 'Not in My Name' protests, Jain said "these placard-carrying groups with selfish interests are trying to malign the holy resolve of cow-protection".

"These people will question our brave soldiers fighting in Kashmir but support Yakub Memon by opposing his death sentence," he added.

At present, VHP runs more than 450 'gaushalas' (shelters for cows) in different parts of the country and more than 1,500 similar shelters are run by its volunteers.