The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is planning to start a maha kumbh — a national congress — of organisations working for the welfare of cows as a periodic activity from next year. The move is aimed at bringing all such organisations under one umbrella for greater uniformity and forming a large enough pressure group to press for a country-wide ban on cattle slaughter and a ministry for cow welfare and development.
Despite the Centre’s lack of jurisdiction on the subject, the Sangh will continue to press for a central legislation or a directive to States for a total cattle slaughter ban, a senior RSS leader told The Hindu .
“Country’s demand”“The Sangh will do all within its reach to spread the message. It is not just the demand of the RSS but of the country. The cow is not just a deity, it is our mother and we should accept this truth,” said Ajit Prasad Mohapatra, RSS pracharak and sah sewa pramukh.
The idea of a periodic congregation came up during a nationwide march for cow welfare organised under the aegis of the Karnataka Shankaracharya.
The maha kumbh of cow welfare organisations will be similar to a conclave of RSS-affiliated social welfare organisations held in New Delhi earlier this month after a gap of five years. The number of social welfare organisations grew from about 450 to 850 in the five-year period, coinciding with the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“The RSS stand on the matter is clear and unwavering. Cattle protection has been our long-standing demand since 1957. It is not a religious matter but a cultural thing. We will create awareness from the district to the national level,” an RSS functionary said.
“Rajasthan has created a ministry for cattle welfare. That should be replicated in every State and at the national level,” he added.
Two BJP-led governments — in Maharashtra and Haryana — have already enacted laws banning cattle slaughter in the last two months.
