<p>Shimla: Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Thursday asked the Centre to declare cows as 'Rashtra Mata' and the states to declare them as 'Rajya Mata'.</p>.<p>His media in-charge in a press conference here said the Swami has launched a nationwide 'Gau Dhwaj' (Cow Flag) campaign to press for action on his demands.</p>.<p>"The campaign is calling on all 36 states and Union territories to recognise the cow with the honorary status of 'Rashtra Mata' at the national level and 'Rajya Mata' at the state level.</p>.Protest erupts after meat pieces found near Eidgah in Mathura, locals suspect cow slaughter.<p>"He said that there is also a demand to remove the cow from the category of animals and accord it the status of a revered mother figure," Shailendra Yogiraj, National Media In-charge for Avimukteshwaranand, said.</p>.<p>He said that the Gau Dhwaj has also been planted at the Lord Hanuman Temple at Jakhu, Shimla.</p>.<p>He said that there are still several states in India where there is no ban on cow slaughter.</p>.<p>"If the central government declares the cow as the Mother of the Nation and enacts strict laws, it will effectively put a stop to cow slaughter," the Swami said, according to his publicist.</p>.<p>The seer has also launched a 'Gau Voter Campaign', garnering votes for cow protection and welfare.</p>
<p>Shimla: Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Thursday asked the Centre to declare cows as 'Rashtra Mata' and the states to declare them as 'Rajya Mata'.</p>.<p>His media in-charge in a press conference here said the Swami has launched a nationwide 'Gau Dhwaj' (Cow Flag) campaign to press for action on his demands.</p>.<p>"The campaign is calling on all 36 states and Union territories to recognise the cow with the honorary status of 'Rashtra Mata' at the national level and 'Rajya Mata' at the state level.</p>.Protest erupts after meat pieces found near Eidgah in Mathura, locals suspect cow slaughter.<p>"He said that there is also a demand to remove the cow from the category of animals and accord it the status of a revered mother figure," Shailendra Yogiraj, National Media In-charge for Avimukteshwaranand, said.</p>.<p>He said that the Gau Dhwaj has also been planted at the Lord Hanuman Temple at Jakhu, Shimla.</p>.<p>He said that there are still several states in India where there is no ban on cow slaughter.</p>.<p>"If the central government declares the cow as the Mother of the Nation and enacts strict laws, it will effectively put a stop to cow slaughter," the Swami said, according to his publicist.</p>.<p>The seer has also launched a 'Gau Voter Campaign', garnering votes for cow protection and welfare.</p>