SC asks Centre, six states to reply to PILs on cow vigilantism in 4 weeks

ENS, New Delhi | November 7, 2016:The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and six state governments to file replies on Public Interest Litigations (PIL) related to cow vigilantism within a period of four weeks. The ruling came three weeks after the apex court had agreed to examine acts of cow vigilantism and had asked all the states and Central government to reply to the PILs on August 21.

A number of PILs were filed by activists and political leaders across the country demanding action against growing violence in the name of protecting cows.

Congress leader Tehseen Poonawalla filed the plea in SC alleging that ‘gau rakshaks’ were spreading hatred against certain sections of the society like Muslims and Dalits.

The country witnessed several incidents of violence in the name of ‘cow protection’ including lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh. In Gujarat, a group of Dalits were flogged by a vigilante group for skinning a dead cow.

These incidents led to nationwide protests by activists, opposition, minority and Dalit groups, following which PM Narendra Modi also appealed that such acts of violence must stop.