Amid a raging controversy over the death of hundreds of cows due to starvation at the Hingonia gaushala on the outskirts of Jaipur, Congress workers staged a long march to the famous Govind Deo temple in the Walled City here on Saturday, to draw attention to the BJP government’s “failure” to protect the animals.
Facing flak on the issue, Rajasthan Urban Development Minister Rajpal Singh Shekhawat, flanked by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation officials, visited the government-run cow shelter and reviewed the conditions there. Mr. Shekhawat said urgent steps would be taken to treat the sick cows.
Two officials suspended
After the Minister’s visit, gaushala in-charge R.K. Sharma and Deputy Commissioner Sher Singh were placed under suspension on charges of negligence and dereliction of duty.
About 500 cows have reportedly died in Hingonia since all the 250 contractual workers went on strike last month to protest against the Municipal Corporation's failure to pay them the salaries for May and June. The workers were caretakers of the cowsheds and were also responsible for giving fodder to cows.
After taking out the “gauraksha padyatra” from the Pradesh Congress Committee’s headquarters, Congress workers paid obeisance at the Govind Deo temple with the prayer to bestow “good sense” on the ruling BJP, which they said had indulged in politics over the cow identity without actually bothering about their protection and well-being.
Rajasthan is the only State in the country where the first-ever Ministry devoted exclusively to protection of cows has been created. State Gaupalan Minister Otaram Dewasi is a known cow lover and cattle-rearer.
Jaipur District Congress president Pratap Singh Khachariawas, who took part in the march, said the BJP regime, despite seeking votes in the name of cows, had shown “complete indifference” to the painful death of the animals and was not doing anything to rescue them.
The State government has refuted the charge and claimed that the cows were already sick and no death took place due to carelessness at the gaushala.
Animal Husbandry Secretary Kunji Lal Meena said there were more than 8,000 cows at the centre being taken care of by a team of veterinarians and livestock assistants. “A few animals that died were ill, malnourished and old,” he said.
