The menace of killings, where cattle traders or transporters have been attacked by self-styled “cow protectors”, surfaced again in karnataka – On Saturday, a 39-year-old assistant driver of a van carrying cattle was allegedly tortured to death by a right-wing activist and his accomplices. This incident should be seen as one of the frequent fatal incidents in the states, but mainly in the north of India. From Pehlu Khan’s murder in Rajasthan, who was transporting cattle to Mohd Akhlaq in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, on suspicion of storing cow meat – proved to be false – the killing of two tribal men by alleged Bajrang Dal activists in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, and In scores of such incidents, the acumen by the law enforcement agencies in enforcing cattle slaughter laws has been matched by the acumen of the killers by finding an excuse for these acts, while not bringing those responsible to book. can be brought The acquittal of Pehlu Khan’s killers for lack of prompt police action is indicative of this trend. The repetition of these acts is also a result of emboldened by these right-wing activists who show little regard for human life contrary to their supposed religious beliefs on cow slaughter. Another common factor that often occurs is that these acts are repeated in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and are usually overlooked by its fellow travelers in the Sangh Parivar.
In Karnataka, the opposition has tried to put the government in the dock and highlight how it can fuel communal disharmony. Any procrastination by the Karnataka Police in bringing the culprits to justice would amount to a repeat of the injustice meted out to Pehlu Khan and others. Moreover, the repeated nature of these acts calls into question the outcome of recent jurisprudence on cattle slaughter, especially the 2005 judgment by the Supreme Court based on a detailed interpretation of the Directive Principles of State Policy, in addition to Article 48. Cattle slaughter banned. , 48A and 51(A) of the Constitution. The ruling overturned an earlier ruling in 1958 that limited the ban only to “useful” cattle engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. The interpretation of the judgment resulted in states, mostly led by the BJP, coming up with stricter laws on cow slaughter, and indecent behaviour, besides stigmatizing Dalits, Muslims and tribals for their dietary habits and dependence on animal products for livelihood Gave the permission to. By the so-called “vigilant”. Condemning these acts is not enough; The time has come, again, for a judicial review of the law on cow slaughter.