Sadhvi call to hang beef-eaters

Sadhvi Saraswati

TT, & PTI, Panaji, June 15 : A sadhvi attending a conclave of Hindu outfits in the Goa capital has called for publicly hanging those who eat beef.

Sadhvi Saraswati, president of the Sanatan Dharma Prachar Seva Samiti of Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, likened eating beef to eating "one's own mother".

The Congress demanded that the BJP-led state government lodge an FIR and put Sadhvi Saraswati under arrest for her "hate speech" last evening.

The sadhvi's comments came at the inauguration of the All India Hindu Convention at Ramnathi village in Panaji. "I would recommend to the government of India that those who consider it a status symbol to eat the meat of one's own mother should be hanged in public. Then only people will realise that it is our duty to protect the ' gau mata'," she said.

Last month, the Centre had come out with a notification banning sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets.

Saraswati also asked Hindus to keep arms in their homes to protect themselves. "If we do not stock arms, we will be destroyed in the future," she said. "Today, Bharat is under attack from all directions.... Bharatmata- gau mata are under attack," she added.

Congress Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik said he had brought up Saraswat