Modi’s observation appeared to be reconstructing Taliban “The ‘good’ Taliban are viewed as those who do not attack the state of Pakistan but attack its enemy states, India, or Afghanistan. Afghan Taliban is 'good' because Pakistan trains them: To consolidate his doctrine of 'bad' Taliban, Pakistani rulers attributed the lawlessness of Karachi to 'bad' Taliban. There is no difference between good or bad taliban. They are all proxy of Pakistan Army. “

By differentiating Gau rakshaks, Modi was also trying to introduce this political element in the contemporary Indian society. It obviously implied that, and Modi wanted to emphasise, that those rakshaks who are members of the Sangh parivar and are activists of their Gau Raksha committee in fact are the real rakshaks. Those who are not members of the RSS or do not belong to any of the Saffron outfits are fake rakshaks. It was nevertheless an overt attempt to keep away the name of the RSS from recent attacks on the Dalits. His identifying fake rakshaks is a shrewd attempt to create confusion about the attackers.

What really came as surprise was his revelation that overwhelming majority of 'gau rakshaks' were actually anti-socials engaged in dubious activities, who have proclaimed themselves to be protectors of cows to cover up their misdeeds. He said this while coming down heavily on cow vigilantism. If at all he is in possession of this hard information, then what prevents him from acting against such elements!! It is an open secret that cow vigilantes have been the members of Sangh parivar. Modi’s attempt to differentiate bad rakshak from good rakshak, on the lines of good Taliban versus bad Taliban, smacks of a deep rooted conspiracy.

No doubt this is an attempt to assuage the sentiments and emotions of the dalits and win over them just ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly election, his thrust on bad rakshaks speaks more than meets the eyes. It must not come as shock and surprise if he after some time comes out with the accusation that the secular and anti-saffron forces were resorting to this nature of activities for maligning the RSS and his government.

It is beyond comprehension how could the prime minister of a country ignore such potential threats to the sovereignty and secular character of the country? He said: 'I have seen that some people who indulge in antisocial activities through the night put on robes of gau rakshaks by day. Some people have been running a business the name of gau raksha. I feel so angry” while distancing his party and government from growing instances of vigilantism.

He also said: 'I appeal to state governments to prepare dossiers on these swayam sevis. Some 70-80 per cent will turn out to be engaged in dubious activities not acceptable to the society. Apni buraiyon se bachne ke liye ye gau raksha ka chola pehente hain (They don the robes of gau rakshaks to protect themselves from being punished for misdeeds).' This is a very proposition. It is certain no state government will object to his action against the criminals, who are out to fan social unrest, communalise the society and push the country on the brink of violence. He correctly asked people to 'isolate and punish' pseudo cow protectors as they carried out sinister designs to disintegrate the country in the name of cow. But the onus to identify them lies on Modi.

It has been an open secret that the RSS and its frontal organisations have been indulging in the murky game of espousing nationalism by bringing the cow to centre stage. Modi ought to explain why the “80 per cent of illegal activities” in the name of cow protection were taking place mostly in the BJP-ruled States and why these governments were not taking action against these saffron elements? Their passive attitude to the gau rakshaks’ crimes makes it amply clear that these marauders were saffron activists and not non-state players.

Some people argue that it would be cynical to doubt the sincerity of Modi when he exhorted gau rakshaks not to attack Dalits and castigated them for their lack of real love for the cow. They are mistaken. They must peep into the machinations and designs of the Sangh. This feudal mode of denouement is the basic tenet of their ideology and policy. Prime Minister resorting to emotional exhibition and urging the cow vigilantes to spare the dalits is part of the same design. A person having massive mandate is seen literally begging. He told cow vigilantes to 'shoot me' but not 'my Dalit brothers', If you have to attack, attack me; if you have to fire bullets, shoot me but don't target my Dalit brothers'. No doubt law and order is the state subject, but in the greater interest of the country and its people he could have taken to task the state government. Federal system does not permit a state government to subvert the societal peace and national security and integrity.

The duality in his perception and utterances is quite visible. While he says 'Some people want to create tension in society in the name of cow protection. But to protect the nation's unity and integrity is our responsibility', he also tries to suggest that an age-old 'social problem' was being converted into a 'political issue' by his opponents. By giving such a statement, Narendra Modi is running away from his responsibilities.

Modi in the same breath says; “I want to bow to the real devotees, worshippers and servers of cow… you also remain alert, lest a handful people for their personal benefit destroy the great work that you have done. You must come forward to expose such people so that they are not successful in their designs.” Obviously the country and its people, in the backdrop of his assertion, would like to know who these good and real rakshaks are.

Apparently almost all attacks were linked to the VHP and Gau Raksha Dal, outfits of Sangh parivar, but following Modi’s outburst the RSS has distanced itself from such attacks, with its general secretary Suresh “Bhaiyaji” Joshi saying that “some anti-social elements of society have been taking the law in their hands in the name of gau raksha, and trying to disrupt harmony by acts of violence.” In fact according to him the RSS has urged countrymen to expose the condemnable acts of a handful of such opportunistic persons, and not to link them with people involved in the sacred duty of gau raksha. Little doubt the entire exercise smacked of a deep conspiracy. The RSS endorsing Modi’s political line makes it amply explicit that Modi has broken his silence at the instructions of Sangh. He was mouthing the words and message of RSS.

In fact it is the hostile rejection of this action of the VHP and Gau rakshaks by a major section of the Sangh parivar that forced the RSS to ask Modi to speak out. RSS took the decision after a fortnight long serious exercise. Modi and the RSS had kept mum after Mohammmad Akhlaque was lynched in September 2015 but they could not pursue their same policy in the case of attacks on Dalits.

Meanwhile a day after Modi condemning gau rakshaks for attacking Dalits, the VHP and Gau Raksha Dal pledged to continue their activity as this has been their long time programme. The VHP and Hindu Mahasabha even suggested Modi to apologise to Hindus, for terming 80 per cent of gau rakshaks as goondas. Nevertheless it is absolutely clear that besides the compulsion to reach out to the dalits and appease them the RSS was faced with the task of taming the Frankenstein. (IPA Service)