Mohan Bhagwat condemns violence by cow vigilantes

NEW DELHI: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday condemned violence by cow protection groups, saying their activities were belittling the cause. Bhagwat, however, made it clear that he favoured a law banning cow slaughter across India.

Bhagwat’s comments came against the backdrop of the lynching of a Muslim man by cow vigilantes in Alwar in BJP-ruled Rajasthan, an incident that had sparked protests from opposition parties.

“Nothing should be done while protecting cows that hurts the belief of some people. Nothing should be done that is violent. It only defames the efforts of cow protectors... The work of cow conservation should be carried out while obeying laws and the Constitution,” Bhagwat said.

Speaking on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, Bhagwat said as a veterinary doctor he was aware of a ‘desi’ cow’s utility, including the usefulness of its urine and dung, and said these benefits were accepted by even scientific bodies now. He said non-violence was an essential part of Mahavir’s teachings and that only this principle can unite the Indian society that had people of different faiths and behaviour. Calling cow slaughter a “vice” that needs to be removed, Bhagwat pitched for stepping up cow protection efforts across the country by making people aware of the issue and engaging them in those activities.

He, however, said these activities should be in compliance with the law and Constitution. “Many states where RSS functionaries (a reference to BJP leaders with RSS background) are in power have enacted a law... Other state governments should follow suit by dealing with local complexities,” Mohan Bhagwat said.

“I am confident that wherever RSS workers are in power, they will deal with local complexities and work in that direction,” he said.