Send gau rakshaks to fight terrorists: Uddhav to BJP

In a dig at the BJP over the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray today asked the senior ally of his party to send 'gau rakshaks' to fight terrorists in the Valley.

Seven Amarnath pilgrims, including six women, were killed and 19 injured when terrorists attacked a bus in Kashmir's Anantnag district last evening. While five of the deceased hailed from neighbouring Gujarat, two were from Maharashtra.

"They (the BJP) used to say that do not bring sports, culture etc. in political issues. Today, religion and politics came together in the form of the terror attack. Should we understand that none of those terrorists would have been alive today if they had cow meat in their bags and not weapons?

"The issue of 'gau rakshaks' is raging today. Why don't you send these vigilantes to fight terrorists?" Thackeray asked while addressing representatives of various Ganesh mandals for the upcoming festival in Mumbai.

Thackeray, whose party shares an uneasy relationship with the BJP, further said, "If the BJP government can talk to separatists in the Kashmir Valley to resolve their issues, they can certainly talk with those wishing to celebrate the Ganesh festival amidst fanfare."