As a wave of making the cow the national animal has swept by several Muslim organizations across India and put an end to cow slaughter, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Monday, said that such a declaration was not necessary and said that the cow’s place is equivalent to “mother” in Indian culture.
“The cow is our mother and the mother of the nation. Does the bond between a mother and her child require official recognition? Has any child ever needed to be told that a woman is his mother and therefore deserves respect?” he said.
“These are our values and traditions. The cow is our mother; she is not merely an animal, she is our mother,” he asked.
“Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that if those demanding that the cow be declared the national animal do not have proper knowledge of Sanatan Dharma and are viewing the issue through a narrow religious lens, they should first understand the principles of Sanatan Dharma. He said that such a contradictory approach, where one changes positions according to the prevailing circumstances, reflects inconsistency in thought and understanding…” Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya said to IANS about the CM’s remark.
Responding to comments by Katha Vachak Aniruddhacharya, All India Imam Association President Maulana Sajid Rashidi stated to IANS, “…Katha Vachak Aniruddhacharya is a religious preacher, and a statement attributed to him is circulating on social media. He said that a cow is an animal and questioned how it can be considered a mother. As far as your faith is concerned, if you regard the cow as your mother, you are free to do so. In our faith, however, it is not regarded as a mother, and therefore we consider it an animal. In the Quran, several animals are mentioned in the context of sacrifice, and the cow is among them. It is mentioned because it is considered an animal…”
“Yogi’s statement on the cow reflects that the BJP and RSS are now using the cow as a political weapon for polarization and Hindu chauvinism. They are misusing the cow despite demands from several organizations to declare it the national animal. Now the BJP has changed its stance. Yogi’s statement shows that they have no real love for the cow and are only using it for votes, polarization, and communalization. Cow-based politics has once again been exposed. The BJP is not just playing politics with animals, but also with people’s lives…” Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh: CPI(M) State Secretary Babu Rao said to IANS.
The remark comes ahead of several Muslim organizations like Ajmer Dargah Sharif, Nakhoda Masjid, and Hazrat Nizamuddin Darga, asking for the declaration of cows as the national animal and bringing an end to the cow slaughter.
