Even as the clamour grows for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak up about the lynching of 50-year-old Ikhlaq in Dadri over rumours that he and his family consumed beef, one look at some of Modi's previous statements on cow slaughter makes it quite apparent why the prime minister is finding it so hard to articulate a stand.
In 2012, Modi railed against subsidies given to slaughter-houses and five-year income-tax exemption to mutton exporters:
In 2013, he slammed the government for not implementing a law to protect cows for the sake of vote-bank politics.
The same year he took a dig at Congress for apparently saying that if they are voted to power, they would allow cow slaughter. He also slammed them for 'smuggling' cows to foreign countries and murdering them.
In 2014, Modi again slammed the Bihar government for being in nexus with those who take pride in cow slaughter.
In Paranoid World Of J&K Security Forces, One Person Can Be Four
Given Opportunity, BSNL Can Emerge As Top Telecom Company From Turmoil
A Precursor To 'Resort Politics' That Began In 1984 As NTR Foiled Indira's Bid To Dethrone Him
Anil Arora, Mr. Bookworm, R.I.P.
When Train 18 Tricked To Be Modi’s Bullet Train
Solskjaer’s Magical Case For Manchester United Exceptionalism
Seven Reasons Why I Am Not Moved By Last Week's Indo-Pak Tension