Killing humans in the name of 'Gau Bhakti' not acceptable: PM Modi at Sabarmati

This will be PM Modi's fourth visit to this year to his home state where Assembly elections are due by the end of the year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lashed out at increasing violence by cow vigilantes in the name of cow protection in the country.

While speaking at the Sabarmati Ashram which is celebrating its centenary year, Modi said, 'No one spoke about protecting cows more than Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Vinoba Bhave. Yes. It should be done. Killing people in the name of Gau Bhakti is not acceptable. This is not something Mahatma Gandhi would approve.'

'We are a land of non violence. We are the land of Mahatma Gandhi. Why do we forget that,' he said.

In a stern message to vigilantes, Modi further said, 'No person in this nation has the right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country.'

The Prime Minister's remarks come against the backdrop of growing incidents of cow vigilantism. A Muslim youth was last week killed on board a Mathura-bound train by people who taunted his family and repeatedly called them "anti-nationals" and "beef eaters".

"Violence never has and never will solve any problem. As a society, there is no place for violence," Modi said.

Earlier, he released a commemorative coin and postal stamp on Shrimad Rajchandra, the spiritual guru of Mahatma Gandhi. Modi's next scheduled is to visit Rajkot, Gandhinagar and Modasa to attend events.

PM Modi's two-day visit to Gujarat from Thursday is to launch some projects and attend various programmes, including a Textile Summit and a roadshow. This is PM Modi's fourth visit in this year to Gujarat where Assembly elections are due by the end of the year.

(With agency inputs)