BHOPAL: Criticised for invoking NSA on three persons accused of cow slaughter , the Congress government in the state on Thursday warned of stringent action against cow vigilantes as well.

“We will not spare anybody involved in mob lynching or instigating violence in the name of cow protection,” CM Kamal Nath said after a high-level meeting on Gaushala Bill on Wednesday.

The CM’s statement came in the wake of a series of incidents in which cow vigilantes have waylaid trucks transporting cattle and attacked drivers and support staff.

On Thursday, Congress MLA from Bhopal South-West Arif Masood said according to the family members of those charged under NSA, none of them was involved in cow slaughter. “If the government is taking action on slaughter, it must act against cow vigilantes too,” Masood said. The Congress minority cell also lodged a protest in New Delhi on Thursday in the presence of Rahul Gandhi .

On the same day, senior Congress leader and former CM Digvijaya Singh said invoking NSA for cow slaughter was unnecessary.

While there are differences within Congress, BJP has welcomed the decision.

NSA for illegal transport of cows too: Two days after Khandwa administration invoked NSA for cow slaughter, Agar Malwa administration on Thursday charged two suspects under the law for illegally transporting cattle. The accused are repeat offenders, say police. They were caught with cattle on January 29.

