'Cow Killers Have No Right to Live in India', Says Uttarakhand Chief Minister

Haridwar:  Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat of the Congress is the latest to add to controversial comments on beef and cow slaughter. He has said that those who kill cows have "no right to live in the country."

"Anyone who kills cows, no matter which community he belongs to, is India's biggest enemy and has no right to live in the country," Mr Rawat said at a function in the holy city of Haridwar on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister said the law would deal sternly with those who kill cows in Uttarakhand, and the state government would do everything to protect cows.

His government, he said, had passed a proposal against cow slaughter. He went on to say that Uttarakhand is the only state which gives not only land for cowsheds but also helps in arranging for their fodder.

The Chief Minister's statement runs contrary to the stand of his Congress party, which has strongly protested against recent incidents and pronouncements linked to cow slaughter amid a swirling debate on "intolerance" in the country.

Last month, ML Khattar, the Chief Minister of BJP-ruled Haryana, had backtracked after appearing to suggest that Muslims in the country must give up beef. "Muslims can stay, but in this country they will have to give up eating beef. The cow is an article of faith here," Mr Khattar was quoted by a newspaper as saying.

Mr Khattar later amended that all he meant was "we should show respect for each other's sentiment." 

 

Story First Published: November 20, 2015 07:15 IST

Where is Lokpal? Opposition Asks Kejriwal on Twitter and in Assembly

New Delhi:  Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal faced some sharp criticism on Wednesday over his government's failure to pass the Jan Lokpal bill despite the Aam Admi Party's brute majority in the assembly. The same question was raised by the BJP inside the assembly, and outside by the Congress.

#KejriwalWhereIsLokpal shot up to become a top trend on twitter, hours before the Delhi assembly session began this afternoon.

As #KejriwalWhereIsLokpal trended for long hours on Twitter, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's political rivals also demanded to know why his government has failed to pass the Jan Lokpal bill despite his party's majority.

The Jan Lokpal bill, which provides for a strong anti-corruption ombudsman, was one of the main election planks of Mr Kejriwal's party for the February assembly elections. But it is not among the six bills listed for passage in the current session of the assembly, though the AAP government has said it will be brought in this session, which ends next week.

Ajay Maken, Delhi Congress chief noted on Twitter,
Outside the Delhi assembly Mr Maken, whose party did not win a single seat in the February elections swept by AAP, led a demonstration to protest against "AAP government's failure" to bring the Jan Lokpal Bill.

In the House, the opposition, made up of three BJP lawmakers, said, "Jiske liye sarkar chhodi, wahi bill nahi aaya hai (the bill for which Mr Kejriwal resigned from government, hasn't come)", in a reference to Mr Kejriwal's first stint that began in December 2013 and lasted 49 days.

But it was on Twitter, a platform Mr Kejriwal uses regularly, that he drew the most scathing criticism.

Soon the BJP's supporters joined in.

TrustBJP that counts Prime Minister Narendra Modi among its followers tweeted,
 
So did, the BJP president's fans
   

Story First Published: November 18, 2015 16:45 IST