RSS leader Indresh Kumar on Monday said if the practice of eating cow meat was stopped, many crimes of ‘Satan’ could be curtailed, in an apparent reference to the incidents of mob lynching.

Mr. Kumar was in Ranchi to attend a programme of the Hindu Jagaran Manch.

“If the practice of eating cow meat is stopped, many such crimes of the ‘Satan’ could be stopped,” he said.

The RSS leader also pointed out that killing a cow was not approved by any religion.

Condemning the recent assault on Swami Agnivesh, Mr. Kumar said nobody has the right to hurt the sentiments of others.

Agnivesh was beaten up at Pakur in Jharkhand on July 17 allegedly by members of BJP-affiliated youth groups who accused him of speaking against Hindus.

“It is wrong and condemnable. But nobody has the right to hurt others’ sentiments in the name of freedom of expression,” Mr. Kumar, an executive committee member of the RSS, said.

He said there was a need for a strong act against those who hurt religious faith.

On the mob lynching incidents in various parts of the country, Mr. Kumar said, “Any mob lynching incident is condemnable.”