Amid the growing tensions on cow vigilantism in the country, the topic has become quite debatable with the issue being heated up during the Parliamentary discussion on the 20th July, 2017.
The Supreme Court, on hearing of a petition seeking directions for the Central and the State Government in dealing with the “Gau Rakshaks” and in removing the videos uploaded by cow vigilantes, sought a reply from the respondents on the actions taken by them.
The plea sought to get the Hon’ble Court to declare section 12 of the Gujarat Animal Prevention Act, 1954, Section 13 of Maharashtra Animal Prevention Act, 1976, and Section 15 of Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, as “unconstitutional” as they provided for protection of persons acting in good faith under the Act or rules.
These rules have been time and again misused by these vigilantes for harassing the other communities.
When the respondents contended that dealing with cow vigilantism is a state subject, the bench comprising of Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice MM Shantanagoudar reportedly stated:
“You say that law and order is a state subject and states are taking actions as per law. You don’t protect any kind of vigilantism”
This petition was brought into the court by a social activist Tehseen Poonawala, a day after the Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi condemned the man slaughtering on account of cow vigilantism.
The apex court had on April 7 sought the response of six states on the plea, filed on October 21 last year, seeking action against cow vigilantes who were allegedly indulging in violence and committing atrocities against Dalits and minorities.
In the reply the counsel on behalf of the Respondents had stated that Law and order is a state subject and Central government does not have any role into it. However, Union of India is of the view that no vigilante group has any space in the country as per procedures of law. It does not support any kind of vigilantism by private persons.
The Court granted the Respondents with a time of four weeks to file a reply in the matter.
Cow Vigilantism has been a crucial issue in the state which has filled the different communities in India with such hatred so as to take the life of those who have different ideologies of life. While the Government chose to remain quite on the issue for a long uneasy time, the statement given by the PM was criticized as being too late and too less for such a hyped matter.
