Yogi govt asks all state universities to set up 'Kamadhenu Peeth' for cow 'protection'

Furthering its interest in cattle, the Uttar Pradesh Go-Seva department on Tuesday, has written to all state universities to constitute a 'Kamadhenu Peeth' like the one in Allahabad University. Instructing the universities, the govt has stated that the 'Kamadhenu Peeth' must concentrate on studying better methods to breed cattle, encouraging educating rural students in 'cow protection and promotion'. The government has also claimed that these studies will enhance rural lives and help farmers become 'self-reliant'.

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Yogi govt asks all universities to constitute 'Kamadhenu Peeth'

UP govt has effectively checked cow slaughter and cattle smuggling: CM Yogi Adityanath

The Cow debate in UP

Recently, cows have been heavily politicised by Congress with their state president - Ajay Kumar Lallu taking out a "Gai Bachao, Kisan Bachao (save cow save farers)" march on Saturday. Lallu and 50 others were arrested in Lalitpur as they took out the rally without permission and later released. Lallu has claimed that 'cows are dying due to lack of fodder, poor maintenance and cold', in the state-owned cow shelters.

Meanwhile, Congress UP General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote to CM Adityanath saying she was ''disturbed" after looking at the pictures of the bodies of "gaumata" from Saujna in Lalitpur. She added, “You talked about protecting cows while assuming power. Despite your announcements in this regard, efforts of your government have failed. The corrupt officers and those running cow shelters are indulging in corruption and no one knows how many cows are dying for lack of fodder and water".

"The ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ is leading to two main benefits - people are feeding their cows at home and not leaving them, while stray cows are being kept in shelter homes. I hope you also want the welfare of cows. So I am writing this letter to you to put a stop to atrocities against the cows. I understand this is my responsibility to make you aware of these issues," concluded Vadra.

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Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle in UP

In June, the Uttar Pradesh government passed an ordinance for protecting cows called - Cow Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. According to the ordinance, illegal transportation of bovine animals and cow slaughter will attract upto 10 years of imprisonment and up to 5 lakh fine. Adityanath had said that his government has been able in checking both the cow slaughtering and their smuggling to other states."The cows were even being sent to other countries before I took over as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. It was a challenge before me to protect the holy animal which I did to my full ability,'' he said.

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