Stamp out vigilantism

The message against cow vigilantism has always been clear. There can be no place for violence in the name of protecting the cow. Human lives cannot be toyed with in the guise of saving the cow. The Prime Minister has also said so and more than once. The Supreme Court reiterated the point that it was not a question of whether law and order was a state subject and whether the states are taking actions as per law against the vigilantes. It told the Centre bluntly, “You don’t protect any kind of vigilantism” at a hearing on Friday. If the stern message sinks in, may be the Centre would do more to prompt states into action. 

The arguments have been endless with the government insisting that cow slaughter has been banned since the times of Nehru with the sanction of the Ambedkar-driven Constituent Assembly. While it is fair to contend that violence can never be a partisan issue, it is a reasonable expectation that more is seen to be done to rein it in. At least 20 incidents of vigilante attacks have already been reported in 2017 and the victims have been dalits or Muslims. Needless to say, these attacks must stop and everyone must act.