BJP’s “Gau Raksha” polarizing strategy backfiring

New Delhi: Blaming BJP for the growing violent incidents in the name of “Gau Raksha”, Swaraj Abhiyan said BJP and Sangh Parivar’s strategy of using issue of cow for polarizing votes has now been backfiring on them. It said the killing of a BJP worker by so-called cow vigilantes is a harsh reminder to the ruling party that, “when you tie a beast in your backyard, it is bound to hound you one day too”.

In a statement issued today, Swaraj Abhiyan said the din over “Gau Raksha” which had the tacit support of BJP has come as a wrath to itself. The self appointed Cow vigilantes who led a mob to lynch Akhlak in Dadri, UP, have now struck in Karnataka.

However, this time it is a BJP worker in Karnataka, Praveen Poojari, who was lynched by yet another group of cow vigilantes. The Gujarat shame where dalits were publicly flogged as they were skinned a dead cow, the task relegated to them over centuries, led to the Dalit march in Una.

Blaming BJP for hate policies, it said the BJP drummed up the issue of Cow and beef to polarize elections in Bihar. Repeated sloganeering in the name of “Holy Cow” was most of the times targeted at Dalits and Muslims. Though BJP lost elections in Bihar, yet the onslaught continued. Violent incidents were reported from other parts of the country too.

Finally, the death of Praveen Poojary established that violence does not bear any sense or direction. It is all pervading.

Swaraj Abhiyan has been of the consistent view that any kind of violence is a sign of banality which has no space in any democratic society.

Such issues that are emotive in real sense are raked up only to polarize communities so that electoral benefits can be attained. These issues also serve as a gleam over the true issues of hunger, poverty, drought, sickness that plague the nation at large.

Swaraj Abhiyan demands that the Prime Minister keeps his word of bringing such self professed vigilante groups to justice. Murderers of Praveen Poojary should be brought to the book at the earliest.

This incident is also a reminder that when you tie a beast in your backyard, it is bound to hound you one day too. The BJP and its friendly groups must take this as a caution for their own safety, even if they do not care for National Interest.

Courtesy: MM