BJP must answer why its workers illegally transport cows: Home Minister

Bengaluru, Aug 19: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has slammed Sangh Parivar for encouraging cow vigilantism, which claimed a youth's life in Udupi two days ago.

Asked about the murder of a BJP worker on Wednesday night by Hindutva activists for illegal cow transportation, the senior Congress leader said: "The BJP must answer why its workers were transporting cows illegally.”

He also said that it was the BJP which encouraged cow vigilantism in the state. “All these days, the BJP targeted Dalits and Muslims in the name of cow protection. Now a BJP worker was beaten for transporting cows," he said.

The Hindutva activists, who lynched BJP worker Praveen Poojary to death and brutally assaulted his aide Akshay Devadiga, claimed that they were transporting calves to a slaughterhouse.

Mr Parameshwara earlier said that prima facie cattle trade-related business dispute may be the reason behind the killing of the BJP worker.

"Many of the assailants have been arrested in connection with the incident. Police are suspecting some sort of a cattle trade-related business dispute," he said.

Parameshwara also expressed concern over repeated incidents relating to beef and cattle trade in Karnataka.

"We are vigilant; we will definitely try and maintain peace and order. I appeal to the people who are trying to create this kind of disturbance not to do this because we are a tolerant society and we should not create these kinds of issues," he said.

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