'Gau rakshaks' are victims not tyrants, says VHP

New Delhi, Jul 5: It has only been a few days since prime minister Narendra Modi lashed out at violence in the name of cow protection, but the Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) seems to be not in a mood to embrace the PM's view.

In a gesture of wholehearted support to the cow vigilante groups, the Hindutva outfit on Tuesday said cow protectors or 'gau-rakshaks' were 'victims not tyrants".

VHP international joint secretary, Surendra Jain, said the strong meat lobby was trying to malign the holy vow of cow protection.

"In last 10 years, more than 50 policemen and gau-rakshaks were killed by the cow butchers. These killers or jehadis have brutally murdered the innocent people committed for the cause of cow protection," he said.

Stating that there is no place for violence in the holy resolve to protect the cow, Jain added but everyone including a cow protector has right to self-defense.

"Cow protectors are victims not tyrants as some people are trying to establish".

VHP's remarks in support of cow protectors, comes days after Modi had said that killing people in the name of cow protection is not acceptable.

Taking on the organizers of the 'Not in My Name' protests, taken out against lynching of people, especially Muslims in the name of cow protection, Jain said "the placard-carrying groups with selfish interests were trying to malign the holy resolve of cow-protection".

"These people will question our brave soldiers fighting in Kashmir but support Yakub Memon by opposing his death sentence," he added.

At present, VHP runs more than 450 'gaushalas' (shelters for cows) in different parts of the country and more than 1,500 similar shelters are run by its volunteers.

Violence unleashed by gau rakshaks have been on the rise in the country in recent years and the lynching of a Muslim teen, Juanid, by a mob on board a train for allegedly carrying beef sparked a wide range of debate on the issue of late.