Akhilesh targets UP govt over stray cattle menace, asks for total deaths

Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to reveal the number of deaths due to attack by stray cattle in the past five years under the BJP's rule.

Targeting the BJP government in the state, Yadav asked if the party leaders' statements on solving the stray cattle issue before the elections were genuine promises or just political rhetoric.

"The BJP government in the state should issue a clarification on the stray cattle issue. How many people were killed or injured due to stray animals during BJP rule? How many of those who died due to stray animals were compensated and how much was given? How many stray animals are there in the cow shelters that have been opened?" Yadav asked in a post on X.

"Were the statements on finding a solution to this problem within fifteen days of the elections a promise or just rhetoric?" Yadav said while sharing a newspaper report from Ayodhya on the issue.

The SP chief also questioned the functioning of cow shelters in the state. "When was the work of gaushalas assessed and what were its results? What action was taken against the allegations of corruption against most of the gaushalas? What did the IAS and other officers who were appointed to deal with the problem do?" he said on X.

During 2022 assembly polls, several BJP leaders had promised to end the stray cattle menace within 15 days of the formation of the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also spoken about the problem at an election rally for the 2022 state assembly polls.