Violence in pretext of cattle protection; SC sheds crocodile tears
Having taken serious objection to the extra legal powers the ‘Gau Rakshaks’ seem to be exerting, Supreme Court has said this is unacceptable. The court has also said it is the responsibility of the state governments to ensure such incidents do not occur. Even the central government has issued such diktats often and said it is the state that needs to control such incidents. All law and implementing agencies know cattle protection gangs have gained a notorious reputation. But when it comes to controlling, they all fall silent. Which simply means neither of them wants to take charge of the situation and control the damage.
It’s not like people are unaware of crimes in the name of cattle safety cannot be defended. This is a common fact known to even those who perpetuate violence under this pretext. Today, the society expects governments to put stringent measures in place to protect the interest of farmers and traders from Gau Raksha gangs. The states are yet to take cognizance of these matters in a serious way. Despite a big spurt in such incidents, Supreme Court has not pulled up states for failure of law system. Which basically would mean the SC isn’t interested in putting a stop to these incidents.
Despite stating the violence in the name of Gau Raksha cannot be tolerated, the court hasn’t given any ruling to ensure the Gau Raksha groups are banned or stopped from growing further. Why is the legal system not addressing the problem of some goondas coming together in the name of cattle and running a quasi-police department? All those brandishing powers are not innocent citizens. It is well known that they associate themselves with a particular political ideology and a party that is currently in power at the centre. Is the Supreme Court that innocent so as to not understand all this propaganda behind the act of Gau Raksha?
The party that gives them impetus is running the government. And it is no secret that the benefit of creating this scare in the name of Gau Raksha is going to the party. This is a government sponsored violence and SC should have issued a warning to the police and the centre. The police are unable to act owing to the backing the Gau Rakshaks enjoy by their political godfathers. SC needs to vest the police department with the power to register suo motu complaints in those states where such incidences are high. Unless this happens, nothing can stop this violence from spreading.
Supreme Court says the victims of this crime should not be categorized under the name of a religion. But the whole assault is happening on the community that is involved in the transfer and trading of cattle. Sangh Parivar has always been looking for pretexts to launch attack on a particular religion since long. Hence it floated theories such as ‘Love Jihad’ and created volatile atmosphere in the region. They want the society to be on tenterhooks with the other religion all the time. This polarization would finally benefit them politically and socially too. How does one not associate the target of crime with one religion when the religion itself has been made the target precisely? The Supreme Court is refusing to view this as an organized crime in that sense. As long as the law making agencies refuse to see that point, there would be no respite from this crime.
The legal system is vested with responsibility of checking this crime as much as the state and the centre are. Farmers are not free to sell their cattle and traders are never free from anxiety to buy them. Dairy farming is now seeming like a burden on the poor farmer, who are now hesitating to have any more cows for the fear of being assaulted.
The prospects of dairy farming are in serious danger in rural areas owing to this rise in crime against people who rear cattle and traders who buy them. If this continues, farmers may even stop dairy farming altogether for the fear of being attacked. Hence, the Supreme Court needs to act now to put a full stop to this organized crime from spreading further.
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'Engineered narratives': West Bengal guv on alleged molestation charges against him
Kolkata, May 2: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday said he will not be cowed down by “engineered narratives” and the "truth shall triumph” after TMC leaders claimed that a woman working at Raj Bhavan levelled allegations of molestation against him.
In a statement, the Governor said, “Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives. If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,”
To the Raj Bhavan staff "who expressed solidarity with him following some derogatory narratives that were circulated by two disgruntled employees as agents of political parties," a communication by Raj Bhawan said.
The Governor’s statement came after senior TMC leaders claimed this evening in a series of social media posts that the woman, who had levelled the allegations, has been taken to a police station to complain against Bose.
Though police sources said they received a verbal complaint, there was no official word on whether a formal complaint had been registered.
“BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose was accused of molesting a woman. How utterly appalling and Horrifying. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj Bhavan today. The complainant has been taken to the Hare Street police station for filing a complaint. The woman has accused the Governor of molesting her. Shocking and disgraceful,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said in a post on X.
Fellow TMC MP Saket Gokhale also posted on his X account regarding the issue.
West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said it is “shameful” that the Governor has maligned his post and has used it to “torture a woman”.
“It is appalling and shocking to see such an incident. This is the same Governor who had reached out to Sandeshkhali to talk about women’s rights and Nari Shakti. This is shameful that the Governor sought undue advantages in the pretext of giving her a permanent job. We want Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be addressing rallies in Bengal tomorrow to react on this issue,” she said.
According to sources in the Governor's House, the "woman employee with the help of her alleged boyfriend who is also an employee of the Raj Bhavan was blocking complaints (from people) being sent to the Election Commission of India.
"When she was reprimanded for that, she went outside and alleged molestation. She is in the habit of throwing tantrums against her colleagues because of some disease," a Raj Bhavan official said.
The West Bengal Governor and the TMC government have shared an acrimonious relationship since he assumed office in November 2022 and had several run-ins on various issues.
The BJP said it has to be seen whether this a “conspiracy by the TMC” or has an “iota of truth in it”.
“We all know that the TMC is politically cornered on the issue of SSC scam and is looking for a breathing space. So this needs to be seen whether this is a conspiracy by the TMC or it has any iota of truth in it,” BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said.
BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose accused of molesting a woman. How utterly APPALLING and HORRIFYING. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj…
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) May 2, 2024
Shameful that a constitutional office holder should try to prejudice an impartial investigation by attacking the motive of the complainant. We have seen this happen in that infamous Saturday Hearing of the Supreme Court. Respect women! https://t.co/E6eJLQvFXO
— sanjoy ghose (@advsanjoy) May 2, 2024
