Declare cow as national animal: Congress MLA

A Congress MLA in Gujarat has demanded that the cow be declared as a national animal and a law should be enacted to ban cow slaughter across the country.
"What stops the BJP from bringing a law banning cow slaughter in states like Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, West Bengal and Goa?" a release quoting Dariyapur MLA Gyasuddin Shaikh said.
"As per the Hindu belief, 33 crore gods and goddesses reside in the body of a cow, and therefore the BJP government should declare it as a national animal," Shaikh said.
He also attacked the BJP for using cow to polarise society.

He said that while the Congress government under Chimanbhai Patel was the first to bring the act banning cow slaughter in Gujarat, the BJP government amended the act twice but has taken no steps to help support cows.
"Gujarat BJP government sold off grazing land to industrialists, forcing cows to roam on the road and eat plastic garbage. BJP government gives no fund to cow shelter homes. BJP is only trying to polarise votes in the name of cows," he said.

Expressing anguish over the way people are being killed in the name of cows, Gyasuddin said, "Muslims respect Hindu's religious sentiments and do not indulge in slaughtering cows. But police declare they have seized beef even without FSL test which hurts Hindu's religious sentiments. Police should understand the sensitive nature of the issue."

"The way people are killed by groups in the name of cows is a serious matter...Even when our Constitution gives us right to food and follow our religion in our own way, but Muslims still do not indulge in cow slaughter in order not to hurt Hindu's religious sentiments," he further said.
Shaikh said there are several Muslims who are involved in rearing cows and have even been awarded by the state government and the Swaminarayan Gurukul for their activities.