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

Sadabhau Khot, who is also a leader of the farmers’ association Rayat Kranti Shetkari Sanghatana, had said that a big lobby of cow vigilantes is active in Maharashtra and they are harassing farmers.

3 min readPuneAug 26, 2025 05:00 PM IST

On Monday, Khot staged a protest at the Sinhagad police station in Pune, claiming he was manhandled at the Dwarkadhish Gaushala in Bhekrai Nagar near Fursungi. (Express Archive/Narendra Vaskar)

Taking on BJP legislator Sadabhau Khot for his comments against cow vigilantes for harassing farmers, Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote Tuesday accused the MLC of being an agent of butchers, who should be thrown out of politics.

On Monday, Khot staged a protest at the Sinhagad police station in Pune, claiming he was manhandled at the Dwarkadhish Gaushala in Bhekrai Nagar near Fursungi. The MLC, who is also a leader of the farmers’ association Rayat Kranti Shetkari Sanghatana, had said a big lobby of cow vigilantes is active in Maharashtra with a corporate office, and they are harassing farmers. He said the state government should take action against them, or he will launch a protest by setting up cow shelters in front of police stations.

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.

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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.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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