Condemning attacks on Dalits, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Monday termed the violence as "inhuman" and asked state governments to take action against elements trying to "disturb communal harmony and trust".
However, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), an RSS affiliate, vowed to continue work on cow protection, saying they have been doing it for a long time and will continue the work.
Another RSS affiliate, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) has put on hold its plans to start goshalas (cow shelters) across India following the violence over cow vigilantism.
The MRM, the only niche organisation in the Sangh Parivar for Muslims, was planning over 10 cowsheds in Lucknow, Varanasi, Mewat, Punjab, Bengaluru, Tamil Nadu and in the Pune-Sangli belt in Maharashtra this year.
The RSS statement comes as a big boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had on Sunday lashed out at "fake cow protectors". He denounced them for the second day running for trying to create "tension and conflict" in society and asked states to take stringent action against them. Modi had said in Telengana on Sunday: "If you have to shoot, shoot me" but stop attacking "my Dalit brothers".
After the prime minister asked states to act against the cow vigilantes, on Monday, the Punjab police lodged an FIR against Satish Kumar, chief of the 'Gau Raksha Dal', a vigilante outfit known for perpetrating violence against those who they accuse of threatening cows. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and various other states are also preparing for a crackdown on cow vigilantes.
The RSS had also issued a statement on Sunday, denouncing attacks on Dalits. Its general secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi said that taking law into one's own hands to harass Dalits was not only illegal but also inhuman.
While declining to comment on the attacks on Dalits and Muslims by cow vigilantes, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said that there was a lot of controversy over it.
"We will not like to comment on the issue. However, cow protection has been going on since long. We will continue to work for it," Jain said.
MRM leaders said Muslims fear being framed for cow slaughter and decried overzealous cow protectors who took law into their hands. They said they dropped the plan for building cowsheds after its activists ferrying two cows from Haryana to Delhi last December were waylaid by cow vigilantes. They were saved because of police presence. MRM says it is unable to transport cows to its proposed shelters in other states, including Maharashtra, because of the possibility of being waylaid by vigilantes.
However, Modi faced flak from some Hindutva groups with the chief of a right-wing organisation sending him a legal notice and alleging that his comments will encourage cow smugglers.
"Modi said over 70-80% of those working to protect cows are anti-social elements. I have asked him to clarify what evidence he has to back his statement. His comments are a big setback to cow protectors as they will be now seen as villains," Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha president Swamy Chakrapani said.
Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha president Chandra Prakash Kaushik demanded that the Prime Minister withdraw his comments as they have hurt the Hindu community.
(With inputs from agencies)
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