Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tough message against cow vigilantism, lakhs of gau rakshaks are set to descend on Delhi on November 6. A stadium is being booked in the national capital to accommodate the invitees – numbering more than a lakh. A 'Deep Daan' ceremony is also being held on the banks of Yamuna that very evening which may coincide with north Indian festival of chhath.
Former RSS ideologue, Govindacharya, the chief organiser of the event, said that any person associated with RSS cannot go against the cow protection movement. "We will organise such awareness programmes at state levels throughout India," he said.
The Centre's worry is that after the Una beating case, cow vigilantism has accentuated caste differences within the larger rubric of Hindu politics of BJP which can directly hurt its prospects in the ensuing assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
BJP, however, is trying to draw a fine line between vigilantism and love for the cow. "Prime Minister did not speak against cow protection. He spoke against cow vigilantism and those who take the law into their own hands and create social conflict," said BJP spokesperson Sudesh Verma.
The headache doesn't seem to end for the BJP as a number of cow protection associations have started targeting BJP governments at the state level itself. One such meeting, held on Monday in Jaipur and attended by 550 members representing 125 cow shelters across Rajasthan, openly spoke against the government.
"We decided that if the Rajasthan government does not improve the current infrastructure, then all the bovines in the state would be taken to respective district magistrate's residence and set free," said Govindacharya.
Sources say that at this juncture despite a strong position being taken by the Centre, RSS will not disassociate itself from the issue of cow protection. As expected, the Congress has found a good opportunity to attack the BJP on the issue.
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