Attacks by Cow Vigilantes Must Stop, SC Tells Centre : 

Attacks by Cow Vigilantes Must Stop, SC Tells Centre :

Context

• It ordered the States and the Union Territories to appoint nodal police officers in every district to crack down on such groups.

How well is the instruction implemented so far?

• BJP-ruled Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat accepted the apex court’s suggestion to appoint officers to prevent ‘gau rakshaks,’.

Centre’s responsibility

• Dalits and Muslims have reportedly been at the receiving end of violence unleashed by lynch mobs, especially in the four northern States.
• The court exhorted the Centre to uphold its constitutional mandate under Article 256 and direct the States to act against the groups.
• The court directed the Centre to respond to a submission by senior advocate Indira Jaising, for Mr. Gandhi, that the government cannot wash its hands of its constitutional responsibility under Article 256.
• The Centre has maintained that violence by ‘gau rakshaks’ was a ‘State subject’ and it had no role to play, though it condemned all forms of violence.

‘Do not politicise issue’

• On raising the issue of communal violence supported by certain “groups” court rejected any exertion of the issue
• The court directed the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police to take steps to protect the highways from vigilante
• Justice Khanwilkar wondered why no one had filed PIL pleas against the carcasses of slaughtered animals found strewn on roads and public places.
• The court posted the case for further hearing on September 22.