Although the Madhya Pradesh government has been on a “cow-saving” overdrive for some time now, the Opposition Congress has pointed out to a multi-crore dairy development scam suggesting that the animals may not be having the best time in the State.
Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh alleged that a cattle and dairy development scam worth over Rs.250 crore took place under the Shivraj Singh Chauhan-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, which had quietly chosen to ignore it.
Over Rs. 250 crore of Central funds were allegedly siphoned off while implementing a scheme for the development of dairy in backward tribal areas of the State, the Opposition alleged.
Empty rhetoric
“This 250 crore scam involving the misuse of central funds for cattle and dairy development proves that the tall claims CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan and his government have been making about saving the cow are just empty rhetoric,” said leader of opposition in the State Assembly Ajay Singh.
“Even the State's Animal Husbandry Minister Ajay Vishnoi has accepted this fact at a public event recently,” said Mr. Singh.
Mr. Vishnoi, who has been instrumental in promoting the “save the cow progeny” programme along with Mr. Chauhan, reportedly commented at a public event that when there was no water for human consumption and no fodder for cows, how was an Adivasi family to protect its cattle.
Priced milch cattle were allegedly purchased from Haryana to be distributed to tribal families in 15 districts of the State. The Centrally-funded scheme had provisions for distribution of three cows to every tribal beneficiary along with arrangements for a cattle shed and adequate fodder.
Citing the example of Gorakhor village in Betul district where all but two cows distributed to 25 tribal families gradually died away, the Congress has alleged that while the Centre had provided enough funds for the implementation of the scheme, the State government wasted it all away in corruption.
