India’s Madhya Pradesh state government has decided to form a "cow cabinet" for the protection of cattle.
The state is led by Shivraj Singh Chauhan of the federally governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who elaborated on the decision by saying: "It has been decided to set up a cabinet for the protection and promotion of cattle in the state. The panel will include Animal Husbandry, Forest, Panchayat and Rural Development, Revenue, Home Affairs, and Farmers Welfare Department".
He said the panel’s first meeting will be held on 22 November at noon on Gopashtami at the Gau (cow) sanctuary in the state’s Agar Malwa district.
The state government, however, is yet to divulge more details about the powers and responsibilities of the cow cabinet.
Madhya Pradesh has the country’s first cow sanctuary, set up at Agar Malwa. Established in 2017, the sanctuary, named “Kamdhenu Gau Abhyaran”, can shelter 6,000 cows.
Cattle conservation has remained a pivotal concern during the state assembly polls and then the by-polls, with the opposition Congress party making conscious efforts to rob the BJP of the issue.
Over the years, the BJP along with its affiliates have been working tirelessly for the protection of cows in the country, as these cattle are considered to be holy animals in Hinduism.