Cow deaths to haunt BJP in Madhya Pradesh

Congress to rake up burial of carcasses at temple, bags of meat in Vindhya as polls near.

Image used for representational purpose only (File | PTI)

BHOPAL/ REWA: The ghosts of six stray cows buried hurriedly near a Ram temple in Rewa may trouble the ruling BJP, particularly in the crucial Vindhya region, in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections. While the saffron brigade champions the cause of Hindutva and ‘gau raksha’, questions are being raised as to how the Rewa Municipal Corporation is yet to take action against its officials under whose nose the alleged burial of carcasses took place close to the temple within Rewa Municipal Corporation premises in Rewa town.

Rewa, Satna, Singrauli and Sidhi districts, which comprise Vindhya region, have 22 seats. In 2013, the BJP won 13 seats, followed by the Congress with seven and the BSP with two. BJP insiders say the party’s fortunes could be worst-hit in Vindhya and Bundelkhand regions owing to strong anti-incumbency.“The BJP and other saffron outfits often swear by Ram temple and gau raksha, but their hollowness stands exposed.

The studied silence by the BJP and other saffron outfits like Bajrang Dal exposes their intentions. We’ll make the burial of cows near the temple a major poll issue not only at eight seats of Rewa, but also on 14 other seats in the Vindhya region,” Rewa Congress unit president Gurmeet Singh Mangu says.

“We’ll write to the PM, the CM and the Cow Protection Board chief to proactively highlight the issue. We’ll question why no action was taken against senior RMC officials. Action was initiated against a health officer and eight temporary staff, but not on the municipal commissioner, executive engineer and the mayor, whose offices are located in same premises.”Incidentally, the episode has thrown up the name of Buddha Singh, the in-charge of RMC’s godown, who is believed to have proximity to some big politicians w close to MP minister and local MLA Rajendra Shukla. 

“Singh not only saved his skin in this case, but also no action was taken despite his name surfacing during the probe into confiscation of suspected cow meat and hide from a garbage dump in Koshtha village on July 21,” an RMC source confides.Two weeks on, investigation in the Rewa case is yet to gain momentum even though an FIR was registered after the carcasses were exhumed on August 12.

District panchayat president and former BJP MLA Abay Mishra, who is eyeing a Congress ticket, is vocal. “The police seem to be delaying probe so as to save the real culprits, who have strong links in the ruling party. Had it been a non-BJP person, the entire district would have burnt due to protests by BJP. Why are they silent now?”Even BJP leader Nagendra Singh advocates strict and quick action against the culprits. “It’s a serious issue that cows, which are worshipped by us, were buried in the RMC premises. An impartial probe is needed followed by action against the culprits, irrespective of their posts.”

Raising a stink 

• On August 12, as many as six cow carcasses were exhumed from RMC premises in the heart of Rewa town. 
•  Probe revealed the carcass were of stray cows which were buried inside the RMC premises. Locals near the dump-yard in Koshtha village have been protesting burial of carcasses there following the recovery of sacks full of suspected cow meat and animal hide at the dump-yard on July 21.
•  The opposition Congress is protesting ever since the incident came to the fore on August 12.
• Disciplinary action has been initiated against nine RMC personnel, including health officer Arun Mishra and eight muster roll or daily wager staff. No action has been taken yet against senior officials as well as RMC employee Buddha Singh, who is tasked with supervising disposal of carcasses of stray animals.
• The police lodged a case against unidentified accused on August 12 and is yet to identify the accused.