HYDERABAD: Urging the government to remove cows from the list of animals, Swami Avimukteshwaranand, the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand, said the administration should give the bovines special status as gau mata (mother cow).
“The cow is not a mere animal. When we say gau mata, we acknowledge that a cow is not just an animal but our mother,” he said.
Avimukteshwaranand has travelled to almost all the northeastern states before reaching the city as part of his nationwide “Gau Raksha Yatra” (cow protection tour). “We want the government to show respect and declare cows as our gau mata,” he added.
He called for a central law to protect cows, lamenting that in its absence, he has undertaken the tour to represent Hindus and Sanatanis, raising the “gau pratistha dhwaj” (cow protection flag) in every state.
It must be noted that the slaughter of cows and calves is prohibited in 20 states, including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
‘India has never had a true Hindu as PM’
The Shankaracharya also criticised PM Narendra Modi for not enacting a law to ban cow slaughter across the country.
He accused the BJP of gaining Hindu votes in the name of cow protection but failing to take action on the issue over the past 10 years. “The BJP-led Centre is now in its third term, and Modi has announced removing cows from the list of animals, but nothing has been done so far. He has deceived 100 crore Hindus,” he said.
He added that the country has never had prime ministers who were “true Hindus”. “Had they been true Hindus, they would have prevented the slaughter of cows,” he remarked. He also criticised the Congress, whose election symbol was once the “cow and calf”, for allegedly not doing anything to protect cows.
‘Pawan should focus on people’s welfare, leave Sanatana Dharma to Dharmacharyas’
Regarding Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s call for a national ‘Sanatana Dharma Protection Board’, the Shankaracharya advised the actor-turned-politician to stay away from matters of Sanatana Dharma and asked him to leave it to the Dharmacharyas. “Why do you (Pawan) want a Sanatana Dharma Board? Focus on the welfare of people — improve education and health. Do not meddle in the affairs of Sanatana Dharma as it is not your responsibility,” he remarked.
‘Set up gaushalas for ghee production in Tirupati’
Commenting on the controversy surrounding the alleged adulteration of the ghee used in the preparation of Tirupati laddu, the Shankaracharya expressed disappointment. He criticised the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), stating that with assets worth Rs 3 lakh crore, there was no need to purchase ghee from outside. “Why not establish a ‘gaushala’ immediately and prepare fresh ghee from cows at Tirupati itself, to prevent any adulteration? If this is not done, we will agitate to remove those responsible,” he warned.