Women sent to jail, no action taken against their attackers , 30 kg of meat seized from duo turned out to be that of buffalo.
Mandsaur/Bhopal : In yet another instance of cow vigilantism, two Muslim women who were carrying buffalo meat were assaulted by people at a railway station here on suspicion that it was beef in the presence of police which arrested the duo.
A video of the incident shows a crowd cornering the women before verbally abusing and beating them in presence the police. While the two women were sent to jail, no action was taken against the attackers. Though 30 kg of meat seized from them turned out to be that of a buffalo, they have still been charged as they did not have a permit to sell meat. The meat was allegedly brought from Jaora to be sold in Mandsaur.
The incident came close on the heels of the attack on dalit youths in Gujarat by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow, drawing outrage and triggering a slugfest between BJP and its rivals. Mandsaur Superintendent of Police Manoj Sharma said they received a call from a person on Tuesday stating that two women were being manhandled by people on suspicion of carrying beef at the railway station.
Two police constables, including a woman, then rushed to the platform and took the two women away, he said. After that, the meat was sent for examination which revealed that it was of buffalo, he said, adding one of the two women had earlier also been booked for carrying meat in an illegal manner.
Kotwali police station in-charge M P Singh Parihar said they had received a “tip-off” that the two women were on their way to Mandsaur from Jaora with beef following which they were caught outside the railway station with nearly 30 kg meat on Tuesday. “On examination it was found that the two women were not carrying beef and it was found to be buffalo meat,” he said. “No report was filed by them that they were beaten by radical elements at the station,” the police officer said. Following their arrest, the two women were produced before a local court which sent them in judicial remand under relevant sections of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act-1960. Meanwhile, home minister denied that the two women were assaulted by other women passengers in police custody and said the policemen who were on the site had saved them during a scuffle. He claimed that the two women had an argument with fellow passengers and there was a scuffle involving both sides. “If they (the two women) give us any representation that something objectionable has happened, we will conduct an inquiry and ensure that the culprits are punished,” the minister said.
Issues figures in assembly: The issue was raised in Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday. Congress MLA Arif Aqueel said that the trend of Uttar Pradesh should not be allowed in Madhya Pradesh.BJP MLA Yashpal Singh Sisodia said that two women were arrested on charge of transporting meat from Jaora. The other women thrashed them. But the incidence should not be linked to communal incident. PTI/FPNS
Opposition corners govt in RS
Opposition BSP and Congress created uproar in Rajya Sabha over the issue. BSP chief Mayawati hit out at BJP, alleging that on one hand, it talks of protecting the girl child and giving dignity and honour to women but on the other unleashes goons on them. As she completed her submission, BSP members trooped into the Well of the House, shouting anti-government slogans and were joined by Congress MPs. Congress leader Anand Sharma asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not responded to attacks in name of ‘Gau Raksha’. Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Congress party was not principally against cow protection but was against targeting of dalits and Muslims in name of Gau Raksha.Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said violence in any form and in any state is condemnable. “We don’t justify in anyway” violence against dalits or women, the minister, who also holds minority affairs portfolio, said, adding the country is run by rule of law and Constitution and not through “lathi (force)”.He said Madhya Pradesh government has taken action in the matter.
