Mathura priest in poll fray for record 16th time to protect

Fakkar Baba, an octogenarian temple priest, is all set for his 16th electoral fight in the past four decades -- all on the sole plank of complete ban on cow slaughter.
"I will continue to contest election till the government takes a decision on total ban on cow slaughter," he told PTI, after filing his nomination as Independent from the Mathura Assembly constituency yesterday.
This will be his eighth attempt in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
A head priest at Galteshwar Mahadev temple in the district, he contested his first Lok Sabha election in 1977.
"If elected, I will present anti-cow slaughter bill as private member bill in the Assembly and ensure that it gets through," said Ramayani, who is also known as Fakkar Baba.

He said the demonetisation has hit goshalas (cowsheds) badly.
"Now the government should bear the expenses of goshalas as owing to demonetisation, goshala ownersare not getting even 10 per cent of the donations they were getting earlier," he said.
"If I win, all funds I receive as MLA would go for the welfare of cows and for the development of Mathura," he said.