New Delhi, 6 September(Wishav Warta): The Supreme Court ordered the states on Wednesday to nominate a senior police officer in each district to prevent violence in the name of cow protection. The nodal officer would have to ensure that cow vigilantes were not a law unto themselves, the court said in response to a petition by Tushar Gandhi, a journalist and a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
The court also asked the Centre to explore what action could be taken against states if they fail to prevent such violence.
Several people have been killed and many more injured across the country by self-proclaimed cow protectors who have targeted cattle and meat traders, transporters and even farmers walking their animals.
The states, the court said, must have a plan in place to prevent such violence. The Centre had told the court it didn’t support cow vigilantism, states must follow the same, the SC said.
Cows are considered holy by many Hindus and have gained in importance since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP stormed to power in 2014 with several BJP-ruled states enacting strict laws to punish cow slaughter.
