Gau Rakshaks have nothing to fear: RSS Chief's clarion call

It is unfair to link cow protectors or entire activity of cow protection with violent incidents, he said. He further underlined the importance of cow protection by highlighting the cow smuggling spree at the Bangladesh border. Earlier PM Narendra Modi had criticised the violence meted out by the cow vigilantes.

Going against Narendra Modi's criticism of violence in the name of Gau Raksha, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat said that the "Gau Rakshaks" are pious and should have nothing to fear from "highly-placed people" in the government or the Supreme Court. He also suggested that PM Narendra Modi and the top court's strong remarks against violence had been "misinterpreted" to point fingers at genuine cow protectors as well.

Speaking to the media, he said, "People who are criminals and involved in violent activities should be bothered about that." He, in fact, said that probes into recent violence prove that cow protectors were not involved in attacks and killings. On the contrary, many peaceful protectors were attacked and killed and that none of it was discussed or criticised. Addressing a group of RSS activists at the annual Vijaya Dashami speech in Nagpur, he said, "It is unfair to link cow protectors or entire activity of cow protection with violent incidents."

He further underlined the importance of cow protection by highlighting the cow smuggling spree at the Bangladesh border. Earlier, cow vigilantes have been drawing public ire because of violence meted out on innocent people. Many deaths due to violent thrashing has also led to tensions between religions in various parts of the country.

On the contrary, Bhagwat said that many Muslim self-proclaimed Gau Rakshaks had informed him that a "nefarious campaign" was being run to create tension among the people of different religions in India. The RSS chief said, "The legal and virtuous work of cow protection and cow promotion will go on in the interest of the people and will increase in the coming days. It will also be the apt answer to the situation."