Ahead of polls, Shivraj Singh Chouhan announces to set up cow ministry in MP

BHOPAL: In poll season in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP and Congress are trying to outsmart each other by latching on to the cow sentiment.Less than a month after Congress promised to build gaushalas (cow shelters) across the state if voted to power, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday went a step ahead and announced to form `Gau Mantralaya' (cow ministry) in the state.
Chouhan made the announcement after meeting Jain saint Acharya Vidyasagar in Khajuraho.Right wing activists have been demanding the constitution of such a ministry since the last decade.
On September 3, MP Congress president Kamal Nath had announced at a rally in Ganj Basoda town of Vidisha district, "We will build
Gaushalas in every panchayat. This is not a rhetoric, but a promise."
Spiritual leader Akhileshwaranand Giri, who was recently elevated to the rank of a cabinet minister by the state government and was the first to demand a 'Gau Mantralaya' on the lines of happiness ministry for preservation and protection of cows, was elated over the announcement.
"This was a long pending demand. Only Chouhan could have taken such a bold step," Giri told TOI, adding, “There are already 1,296 gaushalas and one cow sanctuary in Agar Malwa district of MP”.
Giri is the chairman of the executive committee of Cow Protection Board (Gau Samvardhan Board).
"Cow was never an issue of politics but a matter of constitutional right and faith of the people. Shivraj ji has washed the sins of Congress leaders by taking a historic decision. I feel proud to be a part of it as I was present during the announcement," Giri said.
Cow protection has always been the main political agenda of the BJP. In December 2004, the then BJP chief minister Uma Bharti had decided to
impose a complete ban on cow slaughter in the state quoting scriptures to claim that the new ordinance is "a step towards attainment of
cultural renaissance."
She had also made an announcement to build cow shelters and cow sheds for keeping sick and ailing cows.
Congress dubs the idea as a poll strategy based on fake promises and tall claims.
"There are so many cows dying on the roads and announcement to set up cow ministry seems to be another bluff by the chief minister to garner votes ahead of elections," said Congress state spokesperson JP Dhanopia.