Gau rakshaks and other right-wing organisations across India hit out at PM Modi over his comments against cow vigilantism, with the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) considering sending him a legal notice. ABHM national president Chandraprakash Kaushik told CNN-News 18: “Narendra Modi is not worthy of being Prime Minster. He will return just like Vajpayee had to in 2004. Hindu Mahasabha is holding Buddhi Shuddhi Yaga across India to give better sense to the PM.” ABHM chief Swami Chakrapani, said, "We condemn the Prime Minister's statement on those who devoted their life to preventing cow slaughter in India." Meanwhile, a Gau Raksha Dal (Cow Protection Group), in Mysuru wrote to the PM demanding a central anti-cow slaughter act and also demanded stronger laws against those flouting the norm.

Meanwhile, in a crackdown on pseudo cow vigilantes, the Patiala Police on Monday lodged an FIR against ‘Gau Raksha Dal’ chief Satish Kumar in connection with a social media video showing organisation members ‘brutally’ thrashing people in the name of cow protection. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurmeet Chauhan confirmed the news to ANI. An FIR was lodged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC); however, Kumar is yet to be arrested.

A day ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had strongly rebuked cow vigilantes, saying most of them are ‘anti-social’ elements who are running ‘shops’ in the name of cow protection. In his first comments on the violence against Dalits by cow vigilantes, Prime Minister Modi has also asked the state governments to prepare dossiers on the so-called cow protectors as 80 percent of them do illegal activities at night and become cow protectors in the day.

‘The people, who are troubled by the unity of the society, are in the name of ‘gau rakshaks’ attempting to create friction the society. I urge my fellow countrymen to be aware of such ‘gau rakshaks’,’ he said.

He said, ‘I am very much angry on those who have opened their occupation in the name of ‘Gau Raksha’ (cow protection). There are many ‘Gau Rakshaks’ (cow protectors). They protect cows to hide their illegal occupations. Cows mostly die of eating plastic bags and these gau rakshaks should urge people not to throw plastics on the roads. This will be a big sewa,’ he said.

RSS backs PM Modi

The RSS today asked people to "expose" a handful of anti-social elements spreading violence and trying to disturb social harmony in the name of cow protection, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused them of creating "tension and conflict" in the society.It asked people not to link such "condemnable efforts" of "a few opportunists" with those truly serving and protecting cows.

Some anti-social elements at a few places are taking law into their hands and perpetrating violence to disturb social harmony. This has raised questions about the pious work of 'gau raksha and gau sewa' (cow protection and service), RSS General Secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi said in a statement."RSS appeals to all citizens that they should not link these condemnable efforts of a few opportunists with those devoted to the pious work of serving and protecting cows and expose them," he said."We also request the state governments to take strict action against such elements and not let the good work of 'gau raksha and gau sewa' get hampered," the statement said.Noting that India is primarily an agricultural country, Joshi said at a time when the whole world is facing problems because of increasing use of pesticides, the importance of organic farming, in which livestock play a crucial role, has grown further, the statement quoted him as having said.The appeal from BJP's ideological mentor came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came down heavily on "fake cow protectors" at a public meeting in Telangana and asked states to take stringent action against them.

Wit inputs from agencies