Indian PM advocates strong action against cow vigilantes

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the recent attacks on the low-caste Dalit community and advocated strict action against cow vigilantes.

During his first visit to the southern state of Telangana Sunday, he asked people to protect Dalits, saying that they have "suffered for centuries" and that they "shouldn't suffer anymore."

"If you have a problem, if you feel like attacking someone, attack me, not my Dalit brothers. If you want to shoot anyone, shoot me, not my Dalit brothers," Modi said.

He added: "What is the reason we torture our Dalit brothers? What right do you have? The section which has suffered for centuries, will you force them to suffer more?"

Earlier that day, the prime minister came down heavily on "fake cow protectors," saying that they were "dividing the nation and should be isolated and punished."

This was his second statement in two days against such attacks. On Saturday, Modi advocated action against "anti-social elements who masquerade as cow protectors to save themselves."

The prime minister's statements came in the wake of recent attacks on Dalits, the most prominent being the public flogging of four Dalits by cow protectors last month in the western state of Gujarat.

The four tannery workers were subjected to such public shaming for skinning a dead cow, which sparked nationwide anger among Dalits.

The vigilantes had accused the four men of harming cattle, but the victims insisted they were only taking a cow's carcass for skinning, as was their tradition.

There have been several other attacks on men and women across India, who have been accused of eating or smuggling beef.

Though India is a secular nation, the majority of the estimated 1.2 billion population is Hindu. However, the country is also home to large Muslim, Christian and Buddhist minorities. Endit