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Hyderabad: A delegation from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) met Telangana director general of police (DGP) M. Mahender Reddy today and demanded him to strictly stop the supposed illegal transportation and slaughtering of cow and other livestock. It also asked the DGP to set up check posts and monitor the city’s borders on account of Bakri Eid approaching.
The VHP also also said that it is “unfortunate” that the police is booking cases against ‘gau rakshaks’ for performing their duties as per the constitution of India. Its demands from the police comes just about three weeks before Bakri Eid is to be celebrated by Muslims, and less than a week after AIMIM president and Hyderabad Lok Sabha member of Parliament asked Mahender Reddy to ensure that the police does not harass animal traders.
The VHP delegation also asked the DGP to register leaders and members of the All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) for allegedly being involved in the “illegal activity of cow smuggling and slaughtering”. The letter to the DGP read, “Many AIMIM leaders and party workers are behaving like goons, and getting involved in the illegal slaughtering of the cow, bull, oxem, buffalo, and other livestock, but no action is being taken on them,
Moreover, the violent right wing group, whose ‘gau rakshaks’ often stop cattle traders and beat them up, also stated in its letter that there allegations of some police officers being “hand in glove” with animal traders. It asked DGP Mahender Reddy to set up check posts across the Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda police commissionerates.
It may be noted that protection of cows is not a mandate under India’s constitution, but only a part of the Directive Principle, and is not enforceable by law. The Directive Principles were incorporated into the constitution as moral commandments after independence. The VHP has however has used that to defend themselves or ‘gau rakshaks’ as performing constitutional duties.
However, the irony lies in the fact that the actions of ‘gau rakshaks’ indulging in violence goes against the law, as extra judicial violence is unconstitutional. The VHP, which is often associated with violence, demanded that those involved in the “illegal” transport and slaughter of cows, bulls, oxen and other livestock should also be booked under the Preventive Detention Act as well.
The VHP delegation comprised of its state president M. Rama Raju, state secretary Bandari Ramesh, Gow rakshak Vibhag South India incharge T. Yadagiri Rao, VHP State official spokesperson Ravinuthala Shashidhar, Bajrang Dal state convener Subhas Chander, and others.
