THE Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch, in a statement issued on July 14 has strongly condemned the gruesome attack on seven members of a dalit family by the cow protection vigilantes (gau rakshaks) in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district on July 11. The victims were attacked with iron rods and sticks. They were tied to a car, while the group of gau rakshaks was beating them up. Two people sustained severe head injuries and were referred to Junagadh civil hospital for treatment. The incident occurred when Balu Sarvaiya, a 46-year-old resident of Mota Samadhiyala village in Una taluka, and some of his family members were skinning the carcass. In his complaint, Balu’s son Vashram (26) said they had brought the carcass from Bediya village. He said the accused came in a white car and asked why they were slaughtering the cow. He told them that the cow was dead and that they were merely removing its skin. But the accused started abusing the dalits and attacked them with iron rods, sticks and a knife with which the dalits were removing the skin of the carcass. DSMM demands that all the accused should be arrested immediately and tried under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. Compensation should be given to the victims and all the medical costs for treatment of the victims should be borne by the state government. DSMM notes that cow protection vigilante groups have resorted to such attacks in various parts of the country. In one of the most brutal attacks over cow protection, 52-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched in Bisada village near Dadri, Uttar Pradesh by a mob. In such an alarming situation, DSMM appeals to all the progressive forces to fight the attacks on the democratic rights of the people.