Chg: Cong stages protests over deaths of cows in gaushalas

The Congress today staged protests at various places in Chhattisgarh against the recent deaths of cows in large numbers at three state-aided shelter homes in two districts.
Around 200 cows died between August 16 and 18 at the gaushalas run by BJP leader Harish Verma and his relatives in Durg and Bemetara districts.
Starvation and lack of care are alleged to be the reasons behind their death.
Around 185 Congressmen, including 10 MLAs and one MP, were arrested while they were marching with some stray cows towards the official residence of Chief Minister Raman Singh here, police said.
They were later released unconditionally, according to police.

The Congress workers wanted to release the cows in front of the CM's house in Civil Lines area as the mark of the protest.

Placards and posters carrying messages against the deaths of the cows in the three cowsheds of Bemetara and Durg districts, were hanged on the necks of the cows.
"The BJP leader (Verma) had siphoned off funds to the tune of crores sanctioned to his cow shelter homes that led to the death of around 500 cows due to starvation and lack of management at his facilities," Congress' state spokesperson Gyanesh Sharma said.
The agitators were stopped near OCM chowk and collectortate chowk here where barricading was done.

"A total of 185 Congressmen, including 23 women, were arrested under preventive measures. However, they were later released unconditionally," Raipur Additional Superintendent of Police Vijay Agrawal told PTI.
Congress state unit chief Bhupesh Baghel, Rajya Sabha MP Chhaya Verma and MLAs Satyanarayan Sharma and Dhanendra Sahu were among those who were arrested.
Besides, workers of the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh, an outfit floated by the former state chief minister Ajit Jogi, also staged a protest in front of the Raipur Collectorate over deaths of the cows.
Besides Raipur, protests were also staged in some other district headquarters, including Durg, Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund and Bilaspur, the Congress spokesperson said.

Similar protests will be staged in Gariaband, Janjgir-Champa, Kawardha and Bijapur districts tomorrow (August 31) while in Dantewada, Kanker and Durg (urban) on September 1, Sharma said.
The Raman Singh government has come under a sharp attack from the opposition Congress over mass death of cows at three state-aided cow shelters- Shagun Gaushala in Rajpur village (Durg), Phoolchand Gaushala in Godmarra village and Mayuri Gaushala in Rano village (Bemetara).
According to the state officials, over 200 cows died in these gaushalas between August 16 to August 18 due to "starvation and lack of care".
While Shagun Gaushala was being run by the BJP leader, the two others cowsheds were being operated by his close relatives, including his wife.

So far five persons, including Verma, have been arrested in connection with the deaths. The state government has set up a one-member judicial commission to probe these deaths.