Owaisi Asks Modi to Translate Words into Action Over 'Cow Vigilantes'

Hyderabad: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must show in action what he said in words on cow vigilantism.

Questioning the prime minister over the delay in speaking out on the issue, Owaisi said mere words won't be enough and Modi will have to remove the sense of insecurity among Dalits and Muslims.

Breaking his silence on cow vigilantes, the PM said on Saturday that anti-social elements were masquerading as 'gau rakshaks' (cow protectors).

Alleging that all 'gau rakshak samitis' involved in the incidents were linked to the Sangh Parivar, the Hyderabad MP said the PM should act.

"The question is whether these will remain mere words. The PM has to rein in his own people, his party and BJP governments in states."

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief also asked Modi to revisit the speeches he made about 'pink revolution' during the election campaign in 2014.

Owaisi asked the PM why it took such a long time for him to speak on the issue.

"When Akhlaq was killed, the PM did not say anything. He was also silent when two Muslims were killed in Jharkhand. The PM did not say anything when a truck driver of Jammu was killed," said Owaisi.

The MP said as the video of the incident in Una in Gujarat reached every house in the country and Dalit society and secular-minded people started protesting, PM was forced to speak.

Owaisi said all the incidents occurred in states where the BJP is in power or is organizationally strong.

He said states like Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana where the BJP was in power made stringent laws on cow slaughter.

"In these states, if somebody's mother is assaulted, the guilty will not be sentenced for seven years but if there is cow slaughter, he will be imprisoned for seven years."

Referring to the comments by the US on the incidents of cow vigilantism, he said other countries were getting an opportunity to interfere in India's internal affairs.

"There is extensive coverage of incidents in the international media. India needs foreign investment and what message such incidents will give to the international investor community," he asked.