Why shouldn’t we ban cow vigilante groups, asks Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked Central government and states and UTs why it should not ban cow vigilante groups that have been taking the law into their own hands across the country.

The court was acting on a PIL filed by Congress leader Tehseen S Poonwala in August.

A bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy issued the notices after hearing his counsel Sanjay Hegde.

Poonawala had moved the top court seeking a ban on vigilante groups blamed for the recent spate of attacks on Dalits and minorities, arguing that even the PM had admitted that they were destroying the nation by taking the law into their own hands.

The PIL, filed through lawyer Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi, cited the top court precedent of banning the Salwa Judum to plead for similar relief in this case against vigilante groups targeting weaker sections.

It had made the home ministry a party to the case, apart from the states which have seen such violence.

The petition had demanded immediate action against such vigilante groups who have taken the law into their own hands to allegedly protect the cow. “… the menace caused by the so-called cow protection groups is spreading fast to every nook and corner of the country and is creating disharmony among various communities and castes,” the petition said.

Poonawala referred to a recent speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he said the violence committed by so-called Gau Raksha groups have reached proportions of destroying society.

“These vigilantes groups are operating beyond the realm of law and are known to take law in their hands,” the petition said.