Unfair to link cow vigilante groups to BJP: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

Defending the government’s development agenda, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that it is unfair to link cow vigilante groups to BJP as the party does not back them.

The government was focused on ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ (Together with all, Development for all) and its policies have not discriminated against religious minorities, Gadkari said in an interview to PTI.

“Any saffron clad person on television is immediately related to us (BJP) whereas the fact is that we don’t have any relation with that person. We don’t support such people,” the former BJP President said.

“This is not our agenda. Those who are doing this are not our people. Those who did it are wrong. We are not with them.  Prime Minister had condemned (them)...we all have condemned (such violence). Why then are they being foisted on our name,” he further added.

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The BJP leader alleged that the move to link BJP with such groups are part of a Left campaign to malign the party and project it as anti-minority and anti-dalit.

“BJP, VHP, Sangh (parivar) and our government do not support such elements,” Gadkari said, adding that the party was, however, against cow slaughter. He further said that he himself uses ‘gomutra ark’ or cow urine for therapeutic purposes.

Talking about the key issues, Gadkari said, “Our fight is against poverty, hunger and disease. Poor is poor and cannot be discriminated against on caste, creed, religion and language. We have not lent our shoulders to anyone for use against minorities,” he said.

Indians, he said, are genetically tolerant as was reflected in 4,000 year history when not a single mosque was demolished. “We do not discriminate,” he said.

With inputs from PTI.

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