HYDERABAD: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Telangana is set to have a gaushala (cow shelter) with around 500 cows maintained by enthusiasts from the Muslim community. A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Bharat First, is proposing to start Qidmate Bakar Anjuman in Toopran of Medak district.
The initiative is aimed at sensitising the government and the public against illegal cow slaughter and promote harmony among the masses. Pained over the illegal transport of cows to the slaughterhouses, Shiraj Qureshi, an advocate, started the tradition of donating cows. He says it is illegal to slaughter cows, as per the constitution, and thus, it’s against religious customs as well.
He adds that they consider the cow and its progeny as Allah’s creation, who are beneficial to all humans. “The cow’s milk is healthy for all and we don’t discriminate against it as something belonging to one religion, because we respect all the religions and we are all Allah’s creation,” he says, adding that they have taken the legal route to prevent the illegal cow slaughtering. Khaiser Ansari, in-charge at Bharat First, says the gaushala construction has already begun and would be opened shortly.