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

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.