New Delhi: Cow politics once again took centre stage in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on Sunday with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s announcement of a new ministry to “serve cow”, Hindustan Times reported.
Speaking at the Jan Ashirvad Yatra in Khajuraho, the BJP leader said the cow ministry will replace the existing Gau Samvardhan Board which has “financial constraints” and thus “an independent ministry will work in a better way to serve cows.” Chairman of the executive council of the board Swami Akhileshwarnand Giri, who is also a cabinet minister, had recommended setting up a ministry for cows.
Chouhan’s announcement – just days before the model code of conduct kicks in – has come after the state Congress chief Kamal Nath promised last month to set up a gaushala in each of the state’s 23,026 gram panchayats if the party was voted to power. The Congress’s assertion did not go down well with the BJP which responded by questioning where Congress would find land as well as funds for such structures.
The chief minister on Sunday further encouraged people to keep cows at home. “If there was a gaushala in every home, where there were 2-3 cows, it has the potential to bring about a revolution,” he was quoted as saying.
Referring to the country’s first cow sanctuary in the state’s Agar Malwa district, the chief minister said just one facility was not enough to shelter a large number of cows. The Wire had reported in July that the cow sanctuary had stopped taking in cattle claiming that they neither had the money nor the manpower to accommodate them.
According to the original plan, the sanctuary was meant to house 6,000 cows in 24 sheds. However, buying fodder for the existing over 4,000 cows has depleted all the funds given by the animal husbandry department. “The recurring costs are more than Rs 10 crore but the budgetary allocation is half of that. Nearly Rs 4 crore is spent on fodder. Where is the question of taking up new projects when there is a question mark on existing works?” a source in the department said.
(With agency inputs)