Lucknow: The Narendra Modi government is considering to form a ministry for cows, BJP president Amit Shah said on Monday.
“There are many recommendations about a cow ministry. A discussion is on,” Shah was quoted by The Telegraph as saying.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath had been the first to demand a ministry for cow protection during a meeting with the Prime Minister in 2014, as per the BJP sources.
It’s the departments of animal husbandry at the Centre and the states that now look after the welfare of all livestock. But, BJP-ruled Rajasthan is the first Indian state to have a minister in charge for the welfare of cows.
Cow protection has become a provocative issue with the lynching of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Jharkhand and other states following allegations of transport or slaughter of cows or even the eating or storage of beef. Even Dalits who skin dead cows for a living have been assaulted, as have been nomadic Gujjars and Bekerwals of Jammu and Kashmir while travelling with their livestock.
The Prime Minister had condemned such acts twice after a long silence. However, his government faces accusations of failing to take enough deterrent action on the ground.
Shah did not go into the details when asked about the role of cow ministry.
When asked about the Ayodhya dispute, Shah said: “Ever since the disputed structure (Babri Masjid) was razed, we have been saying in every election manifesto that the BJP would construct a Ram temple, either on court directions or via a mutual agreement. We will do this peacefully.”
Several Congress MLAs resigned in Gujarat last week, some of them joining the BJP, coinciding with a visit to the state by Shah. Three Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party members quit the Uttar Pradesh legislative council, singing the BJP president’s praises, on the day Shah arrived in Lucknow.
He denied that the BJP was responsible for the recent political change in Bihar.
“We were not responsible for the resignation of Nitish Kumar. It was his own decision to sever his ties with corrupt politicians,” he said. “Should we suggest to him that he stay on with corrupt people?” he said.