The court says it was the duty of the state to ensure law and order is maintained
The Bombay High Court on Monday asked the State Government and the Director General of Police (DGP) to place on record the preventive measures taken by them to ensure the safety of meat/animal traders from cow vigilante groups.
A division bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice MS Karnik has asked the DGP to place on record the steps taken before it on Wednesday. The court said it was the duty of the state to ensure law and order is maintained. The observation was made while hearing a criminal public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Shadaab Patel.
The PIL filed through advocate Asif Naqvi seeks to frame guidelines for the safety of citizens from cow vigilantes (gau rakshaks). The PIL has cited various news reports of incidents across the country where people have been allegedly killed in cow vigilante attacks.
A number of intervenor petitions were also presented before the court, arguing that the PIL was not maintainable and that it should be dismissed by imposing a heavy cost on the petitioner. However, while adjourning the hearing on the intervening pleas, the court said, "We don't want you (intervening parties) to make court a political platform (sic)."
The PIL states that nothing is being done by the government to protect citizens and that it is the state's duty to protect them. On September 2, Bakri Eid is to be celebrated and animals will be transported. If there are no guidelines or a helpline number where complaints can be lodged, there could be an untoward incident in Mumbai.
As per the PIL, cow vigilante groups are taking law into their own hands and causing danger to the life of public; they are violating the Right enshrined in the Constitution of India for carrying out business in a peaceful manner. The PIL prays for calling of records from all police stations giving details about incidents of cow vigilantes and setting up a call centre for people to make complaints of any kind of harassment. It also requests that police be directed to provide gun licences to legal animal transporters to protect themselves.
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