NEW DELHI: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to take action against ‘fake cow vigilante’ groups, the Ministry of Home Affairs has asked States to take strict action against gau rakshaks who take the law into their own hands.
In its advisory to State governments, however, the MHA said in States where the slaughter of cows was prohibited, the act would still be treated as a punishable offence.
“However, that does not entitle any individual or group of persons to take action on their own to prevent the alleged slaughter or punish the alleged wrongdoers,” the statement said.
Citing Section 39 of the CrPC, the MHA said it requires that any person aware of the commission of certain offences or intention needs to give information to the nearest magistrate or police officer of such commission or intention. And if an offence is committed, or is about to be committed, such an offence, or possibility of offence is required to be brought to the notice of the concerned police authorities or magistrate for appropriate action.
The MHA recently said some incidents had been reported where certain persons or groups took the law into their own hands in the name of protecting cows and have committed crimes in pursuance thereof.
The Ministry has asked the States to strictly deal with cow vigilante groups and ensure strictest punishment.
“Any person, or persons, doing so have to be dealt with strictly under the relevant laws and brought to justice in the quickest possible fashion, for the strictest punishment.”
“The States are, therefore, enjoined upon, and expected, to ensure that any person who takes law into his/her own hands is dealt with promptly, and punished as per law,” the Home Ministry advisory said.
Meanwhile, Modi pulled up BJP MPs who failed to submit their report card on the work done by them in their constituencies and asked them to regularly submit the reports online to the party president.
Modi was speaking during the party’s parliamentary party meeting here and insisted that MPs undertake the Tiranga Yatra in their constituencies as part of the Independence Day celebrations. The MPs have been asked to submit the report on the Tiranga Yatra to be undertaken on motorcycles.