There was uproar in the Rajya Sabha over the recent incidents of Dalit atrocities by cow vigilantes.
The
video of two Muslim women being assaulted by a mob in Madhya Pradesh over beef rumours - the latest incident involving cow vigilantism - saw a screaming match in Parliament between the government and the opposition.
Looking straight at union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Uttar Pradesh politician Mayawati questioned: "I want to ask Mr Naqvi, women of your community have been attacked. You must answer to this house. Muslim women were assaulted in the name of cow protection - it is shameful and unacceptable."
The former UP chief minister sneered: "BJP talks of protecting the girl child on one hand and women are thrashed or oppressed in their states."
Opposition MPs rushed to the centre of the house and shouted slogans calling the government "anti-Dalit" and "anti-women".
Mr Naqvi replied: "We believe that the country is run by the Constitution and the law, not the danda (stick). Any such incident is condemnable and not justified at all. The state government has taken action."
A howl of protests erupted again from the opposition, which said that the women who were attacked were arrested, not the mob or the policemen who were present but failed to protect them.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said: "We are not against Gau raksha (cow protection). But for that, Dalits and minorities cannot be targeted."
Two Muslim women were slapped, kicked and abused by a mob led by cow vigilantes at a railway station in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur on Tuesday.
In a mobile phone video taken by one of the many spectators who did nothing to stop the attack, policemen are seen making half-hearted attempts to control the crowd.
The women were arrested for carrying 30 kg of meat, which, according to "local doctors", was buffalo meat, not beef.
In the past few days, Parliament has debated "Dalit atrocities" after national outrage over a video of four Dalit men being flogged, tied to an SUV and paraded for skinning a dead cow in Una in Gujarat earlier this month.