Allahabad HC order on cow triggers political spar in Guj

Ahmedabad, Sep 3: The BJP has said its government takes strict action against those who indulge in cow slaughter in Gujarat, while the opposition Congress accused the ruling party of using the animal revered by Hindus to get votes in elections, a verbal duel on Friday coming in the backdrop of a court ruling.
The BJP and the Congress engaged in a war of words in context of a recent judgement of the Allahabad High Court that said the cow should be declared as India’s national animal. The HC had also said that cow protection should be included as a fundamental right of Hindus.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani of the Congress traded charges over the issue of cow protection.
Patel, when asked about the Allahabad HC judgement, said on Thursday the cow has been worshiped in the country for thousands of years. “We consider cows as our mother. In our Hindu culture and in our country, cows are worshiped as “gau mata” for thousands and thousands of years, we worship them on many occasions during the year,” Patel said. “In line with our belief, the central government and the state government are working for the protection of cows. In Gujarat, we have a law against cow slaughter, if anybody kills cows here we take strict action against them as per law,” Patel told reporters on Thursday.
The Congress, however, targeted Patel over his comments, saying the BJP highlights cows and the river Ganga as mothers only to get votes. (PTI)