After BJP MLC Sadabhau Khot flays cow vigilantes, Hindutva leader in Pune demands his ouster from politics

Ekbote, however, criticised Khot as well as Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for taking up the cause of butchers. “Khot created drama in Pune on the issue. He had come to take up the issue of butchers and defame the movement of cow protection. The government should conduct an inquiry into butchers through the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to determine the facts,” he said, adding that the butchers fund the politicians and the politicians defame the cow vigilantes.

“We are ashamed to witness that Ajit Pawar supports butchers as he recently urged the state police to stop action against butchers,” said Ekbote.

“Khot is a liar, and leaders like him should be thrown out of politics,” he said, adding, “Khot was arrested in the past for cheating farmers. Gau rakshaks work very hard to protect the cows.”

After Khot’s claim on Monday, his party colleague and Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane appealed to the MLC to exercise restraint while criticising gau rakshaks. Rane said, “Sadabhau Khot should tone down his language while speaking against gau rakshaks because they are engaged in protecting cows. He should not make statements that could be seen as insulting the Hindu community.”

Khot on Monday alleged that the buffaloes of some farmers were forcibly taken away two months ago and the bovines later went missing from a cowshed in Fursungi. “The farmers had to go to court to get an order for the release of their cattle, but when they went to the cowshed, the animals were missing. The vigilantes gave evasive replies, claiming the buffaloes had strayed into the hills while grazing. In such cases, farmers neither get justice nor are their problems addressed,” he said.

Ekbote responded that the matter was before the court and claimed animals had gone to graze. “The cow vigilantes are sincere in their work. They feed the animals first, and then they eat their meal,” he said.