Vishwa Hindu Parishad to keep eye on cattle smugglers

KOLKATA: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and its gau-raksha committee will ‘foil’ any attempt to smuggle cattle across the country, especially in Bengal and Kerala (where beef is not banned) during Bakrid or Eid al-Adha on Tuesday.

Surendra Kumar Jain, international joint general secretary of VHP, told ET that even a central notification (issued by the Union Home Ministry) won’t stop the gau-rakshaks from preventing cow slaughter.

“During Aurangzeb's rule, Hindus fought against all odds to protect cows. Under British rule too, gau-raksha committee put their lives at stake.

So, a central notification or a speech by any political leader will have no impact on gau-rakshaks. They will do their duty and they know how to fight it," Jain said when asked about Home Ministry’s notification to the state governments asking them to take stringent action against cow vigilantes.

Many BJP leaders interpreted this as Jain’s defiance against the Home Ministry notice. VHP will have special kiosks at border points and along the Indo-Bangla border to maintain vigil. “Our people will try to foil attempt at cattle smuggling and cow slaughter in Bengal. We appeal to our Muslim brothers to give up cow slaughter as it hurts Hindu sentiment. We can have a peaceful solution to the problem,” Jain said.