Two Muslim women were abused and thrashed at the railway station in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, on Tuesday by cow vigilantes on suspicion that they were carrying cow meat. The duo was slapped and kicked in the presence of cops who, as seen in the video that went viral, did not exert themselves greatly to stop the offence.
The incident found mention in Parliament, with BSP chief Mayawati slamming the BJP government and donning the mantle of a champion of minorities and women.
The two Muslim women, who were beaten for nearly half an hour, were later arrested by the police, but none of their attackers were apprehended. Later, it was found that it was 30 kg of buffalo meat. Their arrest is on the grounds that they did not have a permit to sell meat.
State Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said, “No can take law in their own hands. A probe will be conducted.”
Cow vigilantism has brought a lot of bad press for the BJP and its governments at the Centre and states. The video of public beating of four Dalit men at Una in Gujarat has caused considerable consternation among Dalits across the country. A few months earlier, cow protectors had allegedly killed Ikhlaq, an elderly man, at Dadri in UP.
“The BJP raises the slogan ‘Mahilaon ke samman mein, BJP maidan mein’ slogan, yet in BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh women thrashed on beef rumors,” Mayawati said in Parliament on Wednesday.