Minister says deeply hurt by the violence taking place in the name of cow protection Coming down hard on Gau-Rakshaks who were allegedly responsible for the recent murder of
Praveen Poojary (29) at
Kenjoor in
Udupi district, minister for forest ecology and environment B
Ramanath Rai referred to right wing activists as “Chaddi Parivar”
Speaking to reporters in
Mangaluru on Tuesday, minister
Rai said: “I am deeply hurt by the violence taking place in the name of cow protection.
Gau Rakshaks have taken a life. Their intention is to create communal tension and political gain. For me it is not
Sangh Parivar but Chaddi Parivar” he said.
Reacting to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s statement that 70-80 per cent are those who indulge in anti-social activities and try to hide their sins by pretending to be Gau Rakshaks, Rai said Gau Rakshaks are from Bajrang Dal. “More than 80 per cent of them have criminal background. The activists even killed
Harish Poojary in
Bantwal last year and now in Udupi. The intention is only political gain,” he said.
Rai who is also the district in-charge minister said that a delegation of the district
Congress has already met the
IGP (
Western Range) in connection with the Praveen Poojary murder and have demanded for a proper investigation.
“First it was an attack on minorities, then Dalits and now youth from backward class are being targeted. Only when the enlightened public opposes such acts, incidents like these would come under control,” he said.
‘BJP TIRANGA YATRA A DRAMA’ Criticizing the BJP for holding Tiranga Yatra’s public meet at the Mangalore University campus on Sunday, Ramanath Rai said they have informed the minister for higher education about the event.
“We would have no issues if the HRD minister addressed the University campus. I will also take up the issue in the cabinet,” he said.
“If it was not a political programme, what was the need for BJP chief Amit Shah to refer to the former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa as the future chief minister. The party is fooling the people in the name of Rani Abbakka,” he said. 
