In Ajmer, ‘VHP men’ smear grease on officials over death of cows

The incident comes days after two artists were detained in Jaipur over a cow installation at the Jaipur Art Summit. The artists suspended a Styrofoam cow in the air in a bid, they said, to spread awareness about consumption of plastic by cows. This led to protests by some.

“We had been sent on behalf of the municipal corporation to talk to the protesters, numbering about 40, who were protesting Thursday morning in front of Kanji House government shelter for stray cows. While we tried to reason with them, some among them came from behind and smeared grease on our faces,” said Ajmer’s acting Health Officer Satyanarayan Sharma. He was accompanied by Revenue Officer Bhagwan Bachani.

“They were antisocial elements and wore saffron bands. Their protest was only for political reasons. They don’t really care for cows. The post-mortem of the cows and calves revealed that they died due to low immunity and consumption of plastic. If the protesters really care about cows, why don’t they clean plastic from the streets of Ajmer?” Sharma said.

“We tried to talk to them but they kept raising slogans,” Bachani said, adding that they have lodged a police complaint against the protesters while the employees union of Ajmer Municipal Corporation has called a strike if the police do not take any action against the protesters within two days.

“Almost all cow palaks (caretakers) in Ajmer are Hindus. So why don’t the protesters tell them to take care of cows when they are old? They consume milk of the cows when they are young, why leave them to fend for themselves in the streets once they are old? The cows that end up at the government shelter are usually weak and ill, and the shelters have limits. Almost all officers in Ajmer municipal corporation have additional charge of two-three offices. So the least such protesters can do is arrange for fodder, water and take care of their health,” Sharma said.

“Members of the VHP were protesting outside the cow shed over the death of cows. They were alleging that they died due to lack of proper care and fodder,” said Christianganj SHO Purnaram. “Based on the complaint by two officials, we have lodged an FIR against one Dharmraj Gehlot, whose designation within VHP is not yet known, and other unidentified persons, under Indian Penal Code sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).”